Honey Hill History

The roots of Honey Hill run deep, tracing back to the Butterfield family's arrival in Orono in 1899. They started farming berries and apples until one day they caught a swarm of honey bees and began their bee business. During the sugar shortage in World War One, they had over 240 colonies! They called the business Honey Hill and were very successful, selling hundreds of glasses and pails of strained honey, especially at the Farmers Market in the city. What began as a humble farming endeavor blossomed into the largest honey bee business in the state. The legacy of hard work, perseverance, and innovation laid the foundation for the Honey Hill of today.