Local Honey Map
Local Honey Map Find Local Honey Near You
Farm & Apiary 4.9 (30)

Bell Farm

Local Farm & Apiary in Runnells, Iowa · Raw Honey

Bell Farm

Bell Farm in Runnells, Iowa, is where Ellen Bell keeps bees stepping into your kitchen and your local market. Cinnamon creamed honey is the standout, a little heat in a sweet jar that sweetens tea and toast alike. Beeswax candles add a warm, cozy glow to any room. The line of bee products shows real range and care. You can find Bell Farm at farm stands and at farmers markets around central Iowa. Ellen brings decades of beekeeping knowledge with a teaching style that's friendly and accessible; her Beekeeping 101 class on Zoom has fans across the region, including Runnells. Loyal customers say the honey is delicious and beautifully produced, and they trust them for queens and nucs for their own hives. In Runnells, Bell Farm is where you feel the daily hum of good, local beekeeping in every jar.

Reviews

What Customers Say

One of the best ways to evaluate a local honey producer is through the experiences of people who have already bought from them. Customer reviews reveal details that a product listing never will: how the honey tastes compared to store-bought, whether the beekeeper is friendly and knowledgeable, and whether people come back for more.

  • Honey from Bell Farm is praised for its delicious taste and appealing presentation.
  • Ellen Bell's beekeeping knowledge and approachable teaching style are repeatedly highlighted.
  • Creamed honey, especially with cinnamon, and beeswax candles show strong product variety.
  • Customers express loyalty and trust, often choosing Bell Farm as their go-to source for honey and bee products.
About the Seller

About This Seller

Not every place that sells honey is the same. A backyard beekeeper managing a handful of hives produces a very different product than a grocery store stocking mass-market brands. Knowing the seller type helps you understand how close you are to the source. The closer you are, the fresher and more traceable the honey.

Farm & Apiary

Bell Farm is a working farm in Runnells, Iowa that keeps bees alongside other agricultural activities. Their honey is produced on-site as part of a diversified farming operation.

10458 SE Vandalia Dr, Runnells, IA 50237, United States

View on Google Maps
Processing

Raw & Unfiltered Status

How honey is processed after harvest makes a significant difference in what ends up in the jar. Raw honey preserves the enzymes, pollen, and antioxidants that heat destroys. Unfiltered honey retains the fine particles of beeswax, propolis, and pollen that commercial filtering removes. Crystallization is actually a sign of raw, minimally processed honey, not a flaw.

We don't have confirmed information about whether Bell Farm sells raw or filtered honey. If the processing method matters to you, it's worth asking the seller directly. Most beekeepers and honey producers are happy to explain how they handle their harvest.

Varietals

Honey Varietals

Honey takes on the flavor, color, and aroma of whatever flowers the bees are foraging. A jar of pale, mild clover honey tastes nothing like dark, earthy buckwheat, even if both come from hives in the same county. Seasonal and regional variation is part of what makes local honey worth seeking out. No two batches are exactly alike.

Specific honey varietals for Bell Farm haven't been confirmed. Many local sellers in Iowa offer wildflower blends that reflect the seasonal bloom in their area. Contacting the seller is the best way to find out what's currently available.

Health

Local Honey & Allergies

One of the most common reasons people seek out local honey is the belief that it can help with seasonal allergies. Bees collect pollen from nearby plants, trace amounts end up in the honey, and regularly eating that honey may help your body build tolerance over time. For those interested in trying it, raw and unfiltered honey is preferred, since commercial processing removes most pollen content.

No reviewers have mentioned purchasing Bell Farm honey specifically for allergy reasons. That doesn't mean it wouldn't be suitable. If local pollen content matters to you, ask the seller about where their hives are located and how their honey is processed.

Visit

Can You Visit?

There's something about visiting a local honey producer in person that no online listing can replicate. Seeing the hives, meeting the beekeeper, tasting different varietals side by side - it gives you a connection to the product that a grocery shelf never will. Many farms and apiaries welcome visitors, offer tastings, and sell directly on-site, often at better prices than retail.

Not confirmed

We don't have confirmed information about whether you can visit Bell Farm in person. If a farm visit or on-site purchase in Runnells, Iowa is important to you, reaching out to the seller directly before making the trip is recommended.

Purchasing

Where to Buy

Finding where to actually purchase local honey can be the hardest part of the process. Many producers sell through limited channels like weekend farmers markets, seasonal farm stands, or small online shops that may sell out between harvests. Direct purchases from the beekeeper, whether at a market, farm stand, or their own website, typically offer the freshest product.

Farm Stand Farmers Market

Bell Farm sells through Farm Stand and Farmers Market. Check their website or social media for current market schedules and availability.

Products

Products Available

A jar of liquid honey is just the starting point for many local producers. Beekeepers often offer a full range of hive-derived products: comb honey, creamed honey, infused varieties, beeswax candles, skincare products, pollen, and propolis. A diverse product range usually signals a knowledgeable, established operation.

Creamed Honey Beeswax Candles

Beyond honey, Bell Farm also offers creamed honey and beeswax candles. Their infused honey line includes cinnamon varieties. This range of products is available through their usual sales channels in the Runnells, Iowa area.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Bell Farm sell raw or unfiltered honey?
We don't have confirmed information about whether Bell Farm sells raw or unfiltered honey. Many local producers in Iowa do offer raw and unfiltered options, but processing methods vary. If this matters to you, contacting Bell Farm in Runnells directly is the best way to find out how they handle their harvest.
What types of honey does Bell Farm offer?
Specific honey varietals for Bell Farm haven't been confirmed. Local honey in Iowa commonly includes varieties like wildflower, clover, and other region-specific blooms, but what's available depends on the season and location of the hives. Contacting Bell Farm in Runnells is the best way to find out what they currently have.
How can I buy honey from Bell Farm in Runnells, Iowa?
Bell Farm sells their honey through Farm Stand and Farmers Market. Check their website or social media for current farmers market schedules and locations. Their farm stand in Runnells offers the most direct purchasing experience. For the most current availability and hours, reaching out to them directly is always recommended.
Does Bell Farm sell anything besides honey?
Yes. In addition to honey, Bell Farm in Runnells, Iowa also offers creamed honey and beeswax candles. Their infused honey line includes cinnamon varieties, blending local honey with complementary flavors. Their beeswax-based products are made from the same hives as their honey, meaning everything comes from a single, traceable source. Check with Bell Farm for their full current product list and availability.
Can I visit Bell Farm in Runnells, Iowa?
We haven't confirmed whether Bell Farm is open to visitors, but as a working farm in Runnells, Iowa, they may have a farm stand or offer on-site purchasing. Reaching out to them before making the trip is the best approach.
Is Bell Farm a honey farm?
Bell Farm is a working farm in Runnells, Iowa that keeps bees as part of a diversified agricultural operation. Their honey is produced on-site alongside other farming activities. Farm-produced honey benefits from the surrounding crops and wildflowers, often giving it a distinct flavor profile that reflects the local landscape. Buying from a local farm also supports the broader agricultural community in Iowa.
Discover More

More Honey Sellers in Runnells & Iowa

Bend River Farms
Agricultural production
Farm & Apiary · Visitable

Bend River Farms

In Runnells, Iowa, Bend River Farms feels like a welcome-in-the-people kind of place where bees and guests share the afternoon. Amy and her husband greet you like old friends, and the honey they produce is delicious enough to have the husband calling it his favorite. Review after review approves the flavor and the sustainable, down-to-earth vibe that makes this farm feel like a home away from home. You can pick up eggs, peaches, and even hot sauce along with jars of honey, and ordering is easy for quick pickup at the farm. The visit itself is a little experience, some guests even camp with Hipcamp, and the whole operation comes with a sense of care. Bend River Farms has a visitable location in Runnells, Iowa, where you can see the bees and take home a jar of something real. If you’re chasing a straightforward, friendly local honey stop, this is the one you’ll tell friends about.

View listing
Long's Market
Farmers' market
Farmers Market · Visitable

Long's Market

On Greenfield, Iowa's square sits Long's Market, a compact indoor farmers market where honey shares a shelf with syrups, jams, and other locally grown goodies. Mary Long runs the show, and she brings a warmth and knowledge that make browsing feel like chatting with a neighbor who actually knows the bees. The honey here is part of a small, evolving lineup that changes with the season, alongside items sourced from nearby farms and kitchens. You’ll also find pickled favorites, homemade jams, embroidered towels, and garden produce that stays forever fresh in your memory. Purchase happens in person at the Greenfield farmers market, right on the square. The shop is very visitable, and Mary’s husband is always ready to lend a hand carrying purchases to your car. If you’re passing through Greenfield, set aside a few minutes for Long's Market and a stroll to Long’s Park behind the market’s gazebo, a friendly real deal stop that makes a day on the square worth it.

View listing
Smitty Bee Honey
Honey farm
Local Honey Seller

Smitty Bee Honey

Defiance, Iowa, Smitty Bee Honey is a small-town treasure you can actually taste. The honey is raw and unfiltered, with a true honey character that can tilt toward a garden-fresh sweetness or a deeper, floral depth depending on the batch. Reviewers consistently praise flavor and quality, and loyal buyers keep coming back for more. It’s the kind of honey that makes a regular grocery shelf feel special, not braggy. Golden Harvest Honey has even shown up in Menards, proving this Defiance honey travels beyond the farm to everyday retail. The core product is honey, no fluff, just honest sweetness that bees earned. You can buy it in Defiance, Iowa at a local retail store, with more stockists popping up in regional shops that carry Smitty Bee Honey. If you want a raw, flavorful jar that tastes like it came straight from the hive, Smitty Bee Honey is a worthy grab in Iowa.

View listing
Seven Acres Honey, LLC
Farm
Farm & Apiary

Seven Acres Honey, LLC

Marengo, Iowa is where Seven Acres Honey shelves a quietly addictive jar of sweetness straight from a handful of hives. This small-farm operation keeps bees right on the property, so you can feel the season in every spoonful. Seven Acres Honey, LLC honed a simple, honest approach that shines in the jar, where you taste the quiet work of a few hives tended by people who know their blooms. The lineup is focused, clear, and distinctly Iowa flavored without any fuss or filler. If there are other products, they aren’t the headline here; honey is the heart, and it comes in a way that reminds you why you chase good bees and clean nectar. For buying, look for it at local Marengo spots and talk to the folks keeping the hives; this is the kind of producer you can meet in person and trust. Seven Acres Honey is a name you’ll remember when you want real Iowa honey, made on a small farm you can picture.

View listing
Cartwright Downtown Farmer's Market
Farmers' market
Farmers Market · Visitable

Cartwright Downtown Farmer's Market

Cartwright Downtown Farmer's Market in Marshalltown, Iowa, hides a little honey jewel you actually remember visiting. The honey stall here is the kind you learn the vendor name by week two, because folks take the time to chat as you sample. Local honey shines in jars between fresh produce, baked goods, and jams, all pulled from the same tight circle of Marshalltown growers and makers. The vibe is small but mighty, with friendly faces and a rotating lineup that keeps you guessing what you’ll find next at the market. You can shop in person at the Marshalltown farmers market, soaking in the downtown walkability of 108 N 2nd Ave on market days; and yes, you can also swing by on Wednesday evenings when the lights stay on and the crowd stays warm. Ms. Lin's baked goods show up often, banana bread and sugar cookies among the sweet standouts. If you love meeting the people behind your honey and supporting local agriculture in Iowa, this market is a keeper.

View listing
Bethany Farms, LLC
Orchard
Farm & Apiary

Bethany Farms, LLC

Bethany Farms in Winterset, Iowa is a veteran-owned orchard and honey farm that feels like a neighbor you actually trust. The honey stands out for its unmistakable quality, earning repeat customers who swear they’ll never buy store honey again. Eggs are part of the farm’s lineup too, proof that Bethany Farms is a real family farm, not a one-note operation. The tone here is genuine; you can sense the care in every jar and every friendly chat at the market. While varietals aren’t spelled out, the honey’s flavor speaks for itself and draws folks back season after season. They’re rooting for fruit trees to come into their story, which just adds to the local, farm-to-table credibility in Winterset. If you want to know where to find it, the Bethany Farms site is the best starting point for available products and buying options. This is the kind of local honey you tell friends about after you’ve tasted it.

View listing