Gentle Breeze Honey:
Proudly Family-Owned Since the 1960s!
As with many other beekeeping operations, what is now a three-generation family business grew out of something that started as a personal hobby. After taking a beekeeping class through the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the mid-1960s, Eugene Woller became fascinated with the wonders of the beekeeping world. Eugene and his wife, Donna, soon started Gentle Breeze Honey on a modest, part-time basis with the purchase of seven hives from a retiring beekeeper.
Gentle Breeze Honey was nurtured and sustained for many years with help from Eugene and Donna’s three children, became a full-time endeavor in 1991, and would eventually grow to its current size of approximately 600 hives maintained in 25 area locations here in southwestern Wisconsin.
Upon retiring from the Air Force in 2015 after 20 years of service, Eugene and Donna’s son, Tim, rejoined the family honey business on a full-time basis. Tim wished to expand his knowledge of bees and beekeeping, cultivate new skills as a businessman, and loyally dedicate himself to ensuring that Gentle Breeze Honey could navigate new challenges and thrive for many years to come as his parents approached their retirement years.
Building upon the long-standing client relationships and extensive beekeeping wisdom developed by his father, Eugene, over more than five decades, Tim has strived to infuse new energy into the family enterprise, particularly in regard to disease management practices and maintaining robust bee health. This has entailed not only long hours of physically demanding work, but also the vital need for ongoing learning about how to best optimize all facets of the business.
Ownership of the business is gradually transitioning to Tim and his wife, Cathy. With their sons now having joined Gentle Breeze Honey’s devoted staff, Tim and Cathy continue to explore and refine new ideas and opportunities for the business in the ever-changing world of beekeeping!
Enjoy our delicious honey!
