have ordered the cordovan / hybrid queens twice. they survive ok, but are hotter bees than inbred…read morerussian queens. fast on the frame and literally 5000 try to kill you when the hive is opened. will requeen with a different breed next year.

They left an item out if the order. When i called they asked for a photo for the shipping…read moredepartment....i told them i cant send a photo of the missing item...they did their investigation and sent missing item by normal slow shipping. Also hung up on me when i was speaking to them and they didnt call back. Never had this happen with the other bee supply companies and ive bought a lot over the years. Theyve lost my trust and business for life. Shop elsewhere.

Found this small business at the Iowa Flea Market and I'm so glad we did! They are courteous,…read moreaccommodating and have THEE best honey we have ever tasted. We don't use anything else now. You worry these days what you are getting when you buy honey but it is the real thing! I gave it for a gift to my sister in another state and she asked me where I got it and if she could order some because it's the "best I ever had eaten" I ordered some more for my sister and Val was so helpful and accommodating....she sent it out the same day. They also have other products for sale. They have more than one type of honey and have special fruit- flavored honey as well. This is the kind of business that is really worth seeking out and patronizing!

The best, freshest honey! I have ordered several time over the past years and highly recommend.read more

The Holton Homestead is the only place I will get Honey and Elderberry syrup. They have an amazing…read morecollection of restored cast iron, beeswax products, honey and creamed honey, natural health products, and Elderberry products. The owners are amazing and all their staff go above and beyond. They come around to the farmer's markets as well as do local and longer distance shipping from their website. They have a farmstead shop where you can go and see the farm and shop for all their products. During the warmer months they have fresh produce and eggs. Never had anything bad from Holton Homestead!!

I hate to admit this... I've lived in the Des Moines IA metro since 1992 and this was my first…read morevisit to B&B Grocery. Pretty shameful on my part considering the shop was first opened by the Brooks family in 1922... I'm not a big fan of downtown, but B&B isn't quite as downtown as I thought. More Southside. The store is a definitely mom and pop. There's a small lot to park in just off of Hartford Ave and there is additional street parking available. You enter by the grocery area. There's a counter and register kind of to your Left as you walk in. You walk past the counter and you will see the sandwich and meat counter further to your left. For sandwiches you walk to the furthest end of the counter where the sandwich menu is hanging and place your order. When your food is ready they call it out by the items in the order. Payment is done at the counter and register back towards the front of the store. First off the food was great! No complaints. The selection is HUGE... Something like 74 sandwiches available to order and a nice selection of sides. I took my order to go, but there is limited seating available for dine in too. I ordered an extra large breaded pork tenderloin with onions, pickles, and mustard. An order of hot cheeseballs (comes with ranch). And a dad's killer sandwich (cold). My total came to just around $30. Cash preferred. 2.5% surcharge for using a card. The tenderloin reminded me of Chuckie's and that puts it in good company. A little thicker and on a proportional bun. Similar breading. The cheeseballs were fresh out of the fryer and the ranch is fantastic; made in house I assume. The meat and the vegetables on the deli sandwich were impressively fresh. The real star here to me was service! As I walked in one of the staff had two young girls by a board with some toys and jewelry on it. He was counting down as they studied the board. The girls were laughing as they were deciding on a choice. Some sort of giveaway game for kids they do when they have time I assume... I was greeted immediately as I walked up to order. There were three or so people waiting for their food. Placing an order was easy. I'd looked at the menu online and kind of already knew what I wanted, but it was still fun to look over the colorful boards and signage. They were busy working on their tasks but there was some cordial banter back and forth. The wait was short and there are plenty of things to keep you visually occupied here too. Everything was individually wrapped and taped up in butcher's paper. As I took my items all three gentlemen behind the sandwich and meat counter thanked me for coming in. When was the last time that happened to you at a big box store...? I'm not an introvert... I struck up a conversation with another customer and the woman at the register as I was paying. The other patron and I stood outside and talked for a bit. We were about the same age I think...he might have been a skosh older...mid-50s to early 60s. He was the one who told me how long the store had been open, the family name, and that he had been brought/coming here since he was three years old. Said his mom still calls it Brooks Grocery (v. B&B)... Not that I couldn't have found all that online, but I'm not one to shy away from a friendly visit of any kind. I mentioned to him that I found the customer service here to be a really refreshing thing. He said he thought the three gentlemen helping us had been there maybe 15 years or so. A handshake and thank you and we were both on our way. Can't say enough about my visit to B&B Grocery today! Friendly service and great food! Fair pricing. Don't make my same mistake... If you haven't been yet...find the time to stop by! http://bbgrocerymeatdeli.com/

The guys behind the counter are so friendly and welcoming to everyone. This is your classic…read moreneighborhood deli. It's the closest you'll get to a classic New York deli in Des Moines. Sandwiches were great, specifically the meat has so much flavor.

The barista is a pretentious prick. Won't give you their undivided attention while taking your…read moreorder because he isn't finished making the prior customers order and then screws up the order. He then tries to claim that a flat white is the same thing as a cappuccino whilst making an insulting comment towards Australians. I should have went to vibrant coffee around the corner. And to my guy here: when someone orders two different drinks, don't make the same drink and try to play it off like your some superior barista; your job is to serve coffee as it's ordered, that's it. All I wanted was to enjoy a morning coffee but instead had to deal with some asshole with a complex.

Was looking for a new spot to try out coffee and I went on here of course to see which place to…read morepick from. I saw great reviews about how amazing the coffee and honey is here. Needless to say this spot deserves all its flowers because the coffee is phenomenal. I was greeted instantly by the people behind the counter. They were friendly and it was full of people who were also super friendly. It is a small cozy space with tons of other drinks and cool products to pick from. I had a hot pistachio honey oat latte and I savored it for a few hours because it was really that good. The coffee had a fruity and nutty taste that made my taste buds so happy. The pistachio and honey mix was the perfect combination. Can't wait to go back to try more!

I purchased apples and one jam. I realized on the way home, I was charged for 2. I have called…read moretwice to get either a refund on my credit card or a check mailed to me. The first phone call, the guy said aren't you coming back? Then he said you can drive here and we will give you the cash. I said it will cost more to drive than the $8.00 dispute. He was going to try to figure out how to credit my card because he saw the transaction and if he couldn't he would call me back. Never received a credit or a phone call. I called again and he will send the check someday. What kind of business is this??? The apples were rotted even though I looked carefully at what I was picking. Stay away from this bad business.

Sun warmed fresh berries. Yes, Please!…read more We checked the website before hand. Blueberries, Cherries, gooseberries, currents and more were all ready for our choosing. You don't need a container cause they will supply you with a bucket. Keep in mind you are picking your own berries in bulk. We took the drive out from Ames and south of Nevada to check it out. They normally bring their berries to the Saturday morning Farmers Market but we were on an adventure. We stopped at the main little station and got the skinny on what to expect. The gentleman was blunt and straight up. We got a map, told where to go and what to do. This place is huge. Lots and lots of berries to be picked, but we were most excited about the blueberries. We had arrived in the perfect time as there were many to be had. It was a very warm early July day and the sun was high and berries ripped to be picked. My Mom and I parked and walked far out into the patch. We found some really decent sized berries and enjoyed the peace as we collected our bounty. I love that I know exactly where my food is coming from and I can even taste the product before committing to the plant. We made our way back to have our selection weighed and paid. There is also a little shop you can stop in and have a treat made from the berries on the property. I couldn't keep my hands out of my blueberries on the way home. I thought they tasted delicious. I would recommend this to anyone who is out for something a little different. The kids would really enjoy helping pick whatever you could desire. I thought it was interesting cause I will be honest and did not realize how a blueberry bush grew and learned something by visiting and taking on this new experience. Now I am just imaging all the different ways to eat my berries!

I'm a fan of pretty much everything about Dog Patch. Located just a bit east of Merle Hay Road on…read moreMeredith Drive, they are truly an urban garden. Dog Patch has a few different ventures going - including salad dressings and similar products, as well as (and this is my favorite) operating as a venue for farmstand-to-table dinner events. We've attended a few of these over the past year or so, the most recent being at the start of December and held in one of the greenhouses which had been festively decorated for the occasion. The ingredients for these dinners includes vegetables from Dog Patch as well as other local producers of meat, fruits, honey, and more in keeping with Dog Patch's mission of inspiring the health of humans, the community, and the land through supporting local food and farm-inspired products. Chefs vary from dinner to dinner but all are local and well-selected by owner Jenny and her husband Eric. Things to know about their farmstand-to-table events: * They are bring your own bottle if you want to have alcohol * Booking for each dinner starts well before the event, and usually sell out * Even though I'm obsessed with their dinner events, don't forget to visit their website, or the farm, to see what all they have to offer

Purchased my annuals today at Dogpatch Urban Garden. Great selection and good prices and wonderful…read moreservice. Shop local. Check out their website. They have lots to offer!

A hidden gem in the Waukee area! Who would have known to find Old Station Craft Meats if it wasn't…read morefor great advertising this Christmas. Visited on a Friday afternoon and it was just in time for a snow storm. Stocked up on some meats and some Christmas treats as gifts. Everyone was helpful and knowledgeable of all that we wanted. Great shop with so many options for all sorts of meat. Even some baked goods were sold there. We needed finding out we were helped by the owner and felt it was a great visit. Spent $70.xx for our goods. Will be back for sure

My husband's addiction to his smoker led him to this amazing local butcher…read more The proprietor is very happy to give helpful information about his selection of meats. Prices are very fair and we love having Old Station right here in the neighborhood.