There’s a reason honey has been called “liquid gold.” Drizzled over warm biscuits, swirled into tea, or baked into family recipes, its sweetness connects us to something timeless — the natural rhythm of the hive. Inside every jar is a story of countless blossoms visited, wings beating thousands of times per minute, and a colony working in perfect harmony.
In Bonne Terre, that story is being told by local beekeeper Rich White of Show Me Bees. His honey isn’t just a pantry staple — it’s a taste of the land itself. Each jar carries the distinct flavors of the season, a reminder that bees don’t just give us honey, they help create much of the food we enjoy every day.
For Rich, the journey began long before his first hive. As a boy, he was fascinated by the bees buzzing through his family’s clover yard, gently catching and releasing them. Decades later, he decided it was time to follow that childhood calling. In 2017, Rich lit his smoker, donned his veil, and began keeping bees of his own.
Today, through Show Me Bees, Rich tends about 60 colonies, each home to tens of thousands of honeybees. In the height of spring, a colony can swell to 80,000 bees — a society humming in perfect order. Every member has a role, dictated by age and biology. “Every bee has a job, every job has a purpose, and somehow, it all works together,” Rich says.
And at the center of all of the buzz is the queen, the sole egg-layer whose pheromones bring structure to the colony. “Everything revolves around her,” Rich explains, “If she’s lost, the hive raises another because survival depends on her.”
The science of beekeeping mirrors the seasons. In late winter, Rich feeds sugar water and protein to help colonies grow strong, then makes “splits” in spring to create new hives and prevent swarming. By July, it’s harvest time. Honey is only collected when moisture levels are below 18.5 percent, ensuring it won’t ferment. The wax cappings are saved for lip balm, beard balm, and hand-poured candles. The honey itself is spun, bottled, and labeled by the yard where it was produced — Bonne Terre’s “Hazy Runny Honey,” Farmington’s “Old Murphy Place,” Truman Lake’s “Truman’s Delight,” and “The Platte Purchase” from Northwest Missouri. “Each batch tastes a little different,” Rich says. “It all depends on what the bees were visiting that season — nature does the flavoring.”
We rely on bees for much more than honey. Roughly one-third of the food we eat exists because of pollinators. A single bee produces about 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime, yet together they generate enough to sustain not only their needs, but ours too. Even the beeswax, which is secreted from tiny glands and then reshaped into comb, is used to create products we use every day.
Rich’s honey and beeswax products have been sold locally at Old Tyme Pantry, Fancy Crowe, and Good News Coffee Shop, and are now available online at showmebees.net. He also shares his passion through education, setting up booths for Arcadia Valley schools and helping others understand the critical role bees play. Last year, his hives even helped pollinate Liberty Blueberry Farms, resulting in a blueberry-kissed honey unique to that season.
For Rich, beekeeping is more than a business. It’s a partnership with nature — one that requires patience, respect, and a willingness to learn from creatures small in size, yet remarkable in purpose. “When you open a hive,” he says, “you’re looking at one of the most organized societies on Earth.” So the next time you reach for a spoonful of honey, remember the millions of tiny flights it took to bring it to your table. In every drop is a story of teamwork, resilience, and the resolute hum of bees — a sound that Rich White hopes will never fade.
By choosing local honey and beeswax products from Show Me Bees, you’re not just bringing home something delicious and handcrafted; you’re also helping to protect pollinators and supporting the work of a beekeeper who keeps the hives — and the community — buzzing.
Drizzled over cheese, whisked into cocktails, or spread on warm bread, local honey elevates every bite. Show Me Bees delivers pure, small-batch honey and beeswax creations that celebrate both flavor and the pollinators who make it possible.