Following the Honey: Ted’s Adventures in Beekeeping

At Savannah Bee Company, we often say that honey tells the story of a place. Every flower, every season, every landscape leaves its mark on the honey that bees create. For founder Ted Dennard, that belief has sparked a lifelong journey across continents, forests, mountains, islands, and river deltas in search of remarkable honey, extraordinary beekeepers, and new ways to support both bees and the people who care for them.

That journey began long before Savannah Bee Company existed. From 1990 to 1992, Ted served in the Peace Corps in Jamaica, where he worked in remote mountain villages teaching beekeeping as a tool for economic development and local ecosystem renewal. He helped establish beekeeping programs in five schools and worked alongside local families to create new sources of income through honey production. More than anything, Jamaica taught him that beekeeping could change lives. The experience deepened his understanding of bees, honey, and the powerful connection between healthy ecosystems and thriving communities; a lesson that continues to guide him today.

Over the decades, Ted's travels have taken him to some of the world's most fascinating beekeeping regions. In southern Vietnam's Mekong River Delta, a chance encounter with a beekeeper introduced him to an entirely different species of bee and a new ways of understanding beekeeping. 

“I just happened to be on a boat and started talking to a stranger who was a beekeeper. He introduced me to a new species and taught me how to work with them.” 

In Hungary, he walked through vast acacia forests that stretched as far as the eye could see, their fragrant white blooms producing one of the world's most sought-after honeys. In Spain, he traveled into the mountains north of Valencia to visit beekeepers producing lavender honey and bee pollen, strengthening relationships with suppliers who share Savannah Bee Company's commitment to quality and stewardship. As much as it’s about the places, so much of his travel is about the people. 

In the Bahamas, he traveled throughout the Exumas and neighboring islands, teaching beekeepers how to improve not only their hive management but also the marketing and sales of their products. By helping local producers better tell their stories and bring their honey to market, they created opportunities for growth and better beekeeping practices. 

Similar relationships have developed throughout the Yucatán Peninsula, where Ted has worked closely with a beloved local beekeeper Frederico, a long-time advocate for protecting honey regions from GMO contamination, and a key partner in producing the exceptional Orange Blossom Honey Savannah Bee Company proudly shares today.

In recent years, Ted has spent significant time in Brazil, helping build relationships and infrastructure that allow exceptional honey to reach international markets. In regions where formal supply chains were limited or fragmented, he worked alongside local partners to help establish pathways from beekeeper to consumer. The effort reflects a core belief that remarkable honey begins with supporting the people who produce it.

Along the way, Ted has never stopped learning. The momentum began in 1999 when he attended his first Apimondia conference, the world's largest international gathering of beekeepers. Surrounded by experts, researchers, and honey producers from every corner of the globe, he was inspired by the possibilities of what honey could be. Ted has attended beekeeping conferences across Ireland, France, Chile, Turkey, Denmark, Korea, Australia, and Ukraine, building friendships and exchanging ideas with some of the most passionate bee advocates in the world.

“I’ve met beekeepers all over the world, and they open up new worlds of beekeeping and honey for me every time.” 

Of course, some of the biggest impacts Ted has made have been right here at home. Across the United States, Ted chooses to invest in relationships with high-minded domestic beekeepers, helping them to expand production, create reliable markets for their honey, and encourage sustainable beekeeping practices. When Savannah Bee Company purchases greater volumes from trusted American beekeepers and supports long-term partnerships, it helps strengthen the livelihoods of the very people working on the front lines of pollinator health throughout the country. 

Without healthy land, pollinator health and honey production are at risk, so thankfully conservation has become an increasingly important conversation. Through organizations like Bee Regenerative, Ted works alongside farmers, ranchers, and beekeepers who are restoring landscapes through regenerative agricultural practices. The initiative helps create healthier forage for pollinators and improve biodiversity, hopefully creating a lasting positive impact on the landscapes that are treated. 

From casual talks in classrooms and community centers to keynote speeches at beekeeping associations and agricultural conferences, Ted’s commitment to share all he’s learned is unceasing. He regularly visits schools, leads educational programs, and speaks with community groups about the vital role bees play in our food systems and ecosystems. These conversations often spark the same curiosity that first drew him to beekeeping as a teenager, helping inspire the next generation of beekeepers, conservationists, and honey lovers.