Central Ohio apiary facing eviction; dozens of beehives in need of new homes

A Central Ohio honey farm is at risk of losing its bees due to a family dispute.

Beekist Honey, located at 15910 E. St. Rt. 37 in Sunbury, posted on Facebook on August 31, asking for community support amid a family dispute resulting in the honey farm being evicted from the family property. 

According to the post, the family had agreed upon a verbal agricultural contract for the year, housing more than 45 Beekist beehives. There was an alleged breach of the existing and partially executed verbal contract, leading to the eviction, which further escalated into verbal threats and taunts of destroying the beehives.

“My family knows this and doesn’t care. They want the bees to die. Our lawyer requested more time so the bees would not suffer and as of this post we received no response. Paul and I are devastated at the level of cruelty,” owner Allison Hankus wrote in a Facebook post.

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On September 1, a three-day notice of eviction was posted requesting that Beekist Honey vacate the property, stop all honey sales at the farm stand on OH-37, and immediately relocate all beehives.

Beekist Honey is currently looking for a place to relocate its beehives in the Sunbury area until they can return to Oklahoma in November, where they seasonally rehome due to weather.

Honey sales will still be available at Amazing Grace Gifts and More, 62 E. Cherry St., until it’s gone, and Beekist Honey’s regular farm stand will close at the end of this week. 

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