The Buzz Around Town: Red Roof Honey's Farm-to-Table Vision
Living as self-sufficiently and sustainably as possible is important for Lisa and Jeff Spence and their family.
“We love the satisfying and comforting feeling of growing and raising our own food.”
I caught up with Lisa Spence recently and she enthusiastically told me their story. She told me that she and her husband, along with their three children have been able to live their chosen lifestyle for many years and when an opportunity to buy their very own farm property came up during the pandemic, they jumped on it.
Meet The Family Behind Red Roof Honey
“We have always kept a large vegetable garden and have been interested in bees and their importance to food and sustainability. We took a course in beekeeping from a local apiarist and started with four hives. At that time, we rented farmland near Stroud, which is in Innisfil, Ontario. That was in 2017, and the first year, the hives survived their first winter, which encouraged us to grow our apiary.”
Red Roof Honey: Creating A Buzz In Thessalon
“We decided we wanted to live on our own farm because we wanted to raise our children on one. Our search took us from Saskatchewan to Nova Scotia. Our must-haves for the property were that it must have a good house, enough land to hold cattle and good internet service. We came across some property just outside of Thessalon, Ontario, and we travelled up, determined it was the right decision, and we bought it. We moved into our new home in June 2021,” said Lisa.
I learned from Lisa that Red Roof Honey not only produces liquid honey but also beeswax candles and beekeeping equipment for other fledgling beekeepers. They currently have forty hives and plan to increase them to over one hundred. Their plans include offering introductory courses for the growing community of beekeepers in Algoma, along with selling some bee colonies to get them started. Workshops in beeswax candle making will also be offered. For community events, at their booth, they will have their “observation hives” (hives with glass fronts) to showcase the wonderful and secret world of bees and what they do. Expanding their retail offerings is also in the works. Their own raised beef and pork will be available for sale shortly, too.
Red Roof products are available directly from their farm (Please call before visiting) and at these locations in and around Algoma.
Espanola
Thessalon
Warncliffe
Sault Ste Marie
Red Roof Honey: The Sweet Taste Of Sustainable Living In Algoma
“One of the things that drew us into beekeeping is that nothing goes to waste. Everything that bees produce: honey, wax, propolis and pollen. We love knowing that our bees get to be part of the process of pollination of plants, which is so vital to our food system and our environment.”
The Spence family is dedicated to the art of beekeeping in Algoma. By doing so, they are keeping this activity sustainable for the betterment of our planet and, in turn, our food system. The fact that they are making a living at it is a big bonus. They are doing all of this, and they want to share their knowledge with the community and visitors. I am excited to see them grow and thrive!
Red Roof Honey
21 Feltham Road, Thessalon, ON P0R 1L0
PH: 705-279-5566
Email: [email protected]
Instagram @redroofhoney.and.farm
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About the Author
Born and raised in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Sandra has been a freelance marketing consultant, for more than 30 years working all over Ontario. Over that time she developed her passion for food and agriculture while working with farmers, producers, farmers’ markets, retailers, and restaurateurs. She believes that food brings people together and should be celebrated. In her spare time, Sandra is an active community volunteer and loves to explore area lakes in her kayak and spend time at her cottage on the North Channel of Lake Huron.
