About Bees & Beans
Bees & Beans is a family business rooted in passion, creativity and a deep respect for God’s creation. This unique collaboration brings together the golden sweetness of honey from the Burroughs’ family apiary and the bold flavors of small-batch coffee from Rustic Roasting, offering a sensory journey that delights the palate.
Our Story
Billy Burroughs, the heart of Burroughs Bees Apiary, began his beekeeping journey two years ago when his daughter, Bethany, gifted him a community college beekeeping class for Christmas. What started as a thoughtful gesture grew into a shared passion for sustainable beekeeping. A skilled woodworker, Billy has built his own hive boxes used in the apiary, including the award-winning observation hive that earned Best in Show at the Charles County and Calvert County fairs. Alongside his craftsmanship, Billy’s hands-on dedication has made him an integral part of the apiary’s success.
Joy Burroughs, the creative force behind the holistic products of Burroughs’ Bees, crafts luxurious body butter, soothing lip balms, propolis salves, raw pollen, and beeswax wraps. Her inventive approach adds versatility to the family’s offerings and highlights the incredible potential of hive-based products. These hive-based creations have earned accolades, including blue ribbons at all three Southern Maryland fairs. Notably, their pollen won Best in Show at the St. Mary’s County fair.
The apiary’s honey is harvested exclusively during an eight-week window in the spring. Its delicate flavor reflects the local flora, with notes of wildflowers such as: clover, thistles, honeysuckle and blackberries, and the subtle essence of budding trees such as tulip poplar, black locust, magnolia, and sumac.
The family’s creativity extends to collaborative projects, including a coffee and honey gift basket that earned blue ribbons at the St. Mary’s and Calvert County fairs. These achievements underscore the care and passion poured into every product they create.
Bethany Burroughs, founder of Rustic Roasting, brings her culinary expertise and creative vision to the partnership. A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and a seasoned coffee professional, Bethany’s journey began with humble origins—roasting coffee beans in a whirley pop stove pop roaster. Today, she combines a scientific approach with artistic intuition, crafting small-batch blends that highlight the nuanced flavors of organic beans sourced from around the world. Each roast is paired with additional flavorings that compliment the natural flavor of the beans.
Together, the Burroughs’ family launched Bees & Beans, a celebration of their combined talents. Signature products like Rustic Roasting’s expertly crafted coffee blends paired with Burroughs’ Bees honey, offer a harmonious balance of bold and sweet. Every product is a testament to the family’s dedication to quality, sustainability, and the simple joys of gathering around life’s best flavors.
Bees & Beans invites you to savor the harmony of coffee and honey, harvested and roasted by a family dedicated to their craft and inspired by the land they call home.