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About Us
Meet the Beekeepers
Karen and Brian Thomson are graduates of Iowa State University with degrees in Horticulture. North Barrington, IL has been their home for 30 years. Karen & Brian have two sons who are also Iowa State University graduates. One is working in Washington, D.C., and the other in Chicago.
Brian started beekeeping when he was 11 years old!
In 1975, Brian volunteered at the Cranbrook Nature Center in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, tending to the beehives. When he was 16, he started Thomson Assembled Beehives and sold beekeeping equipment ready to be used. At the time, ready-to-use equipment was a new concept. He continued the business and maintained 10+ hives while teaching classes about beekeeping until 1984. Shortly after that time, Brian was busy with internships in his field of study (Turfgrass management) and had to sell the beehives and put his passion for bees on hold.
Return to Beekeeping!
In 2016, Ray and Brenda Bailey (Karen's sister - pictured on the left) started keeping bees in Texas. Brian could not let his brother-in-law start keeping bees without him starting a few hives himself!  The first year, Brian and Karen started 2 hives, and by the second year they were up to 8 hives, with plans to add more the next year. As of 2026, the Thomsons have 250 hives and growing. In 2025 - their son, Colin, joined the business full time. Together they attend many farmers markets in the area along with selling their products online and teaching classes.
Honey Lake - It is a Real Lake!
Honey Lake, the inspiration behind our name, is a real lake in North Barrington, IL. The lake is located outside of Chicago.  It is a 65-acre glacial lake.  All of our beehives are located in and around North Barrington, IL.
Photo Gallery
