Venue Information
Public🏡 Key Venue Details
About the owners
Basking Bee Farm & Apiary is owned and operated by Todd and Stephanie Soos. Todd is an experienced beekeeper with more than a decade of hands-on work with Russian, Italian, and Carniolan bees, and is deeply involved in the regional beekeeping community through the Loudoun County Beekeepers Association, where he has served as President, Education Outreach Coordinator, and mentor. Stephanie, while not a beekeeper herself, supports the operation and welcomes visitors alongside Todd, who enjoys answering questions about bees, honey production, and farm life.
History of the venue
The roots of Basking Bee trace back to 2008, when Todd completed a beekeeping course through the Loudoun County Beekeepers Association and began with just two hives. After more than a decade of managing bees in suburban out-yards, the operation was consolidated and relocated to a dedicated farm property in Lovettsville, officially establishing Basking Bee Farm & Apiary. Today, the apiary averages about 30 hives and is inspected annually by the Virginia State Bee Inspector to ensure hive health and compliance with state law.
Winemaking philosophy
Basking Bee focuses on small-scale, carefully managed honey production that reflects the natural flowering cycles of the region, from early spring maple blooms through late-season forage. Honey is harvested from late spring through early fall, extracted using minimal processing, and never super-heated or finely filtered, preserving pollen and natural enzymes. In addition to honey, the working farm includes a diverse flock of chickens producing eggs and a developing herd of cattle, reinforcing a diversified, hands-on farming approach. Basking Bee participates in the Loudoun Made, Loudoun Grown program and welcomes visitors during posted weekend hours, emphasizing education, transparency, and stewardship over retail scale.
