Beekeepers first, since 1978.
A family honey farm in East Peru, Iowa that builds its own hives and supplies beekeepers across the country.
Three generations of keeping bees in Madison County, Iowa.
The Lappe family got its start in beekeeping in 1978, when Kenny Lappe Sr. retrieved a swarm from inside a farmhouse wall. That one hive turned into a commercial beekeeping operation.
Our history
- 1978Kenny Lappe Sr. captures a swarm from a farmhouse wall and discovers a deep interest in honey bees. Over the next few years he grows the colonies into a commercial operation.
- 2009Kenny Sr. retires and Kenny Jr. takes over, keeping bees for honey production.
- 2015We expand into Lappe’s Bee Supply and Honey Farm LLC and start selling beekeeping equipment and supplies.
- TodayWe build all of our hives and woodenware in East Peru, Iowa, ship supplies across the US and raise honey bees for beekeepers every spring.
What we do
Whether you’re a beginner or a commercial beekeeper, we have the supplies for you: starter kits, painted and wax dipped hives, bee suits, winter wraps, pure beeswax, frames, feed and treatments, honey extractors, glass and plastic honey containers and custom honey labels. We also produce sweet local raw Iowa honey.
Where we are
We’re in scenic Madison County, home of the famous Bridges of Madison County, about 45 minutes southwest of Des Moines. East Peru is home to the original Delicious apple tree and sits 15 minutes southeast of Winterset, birthplace of John Wayne and host of the Covered Bridge Festival every October.
Questions about your hives? Talk to real beekeepers.
Call us during business hours or send a message. We’re always happy to help, especially if you’re just getting started.