Our Name

I grew up in San Angelo, Texas, a little town on the Edwards plateau in West Texas. I have always been a western movie fan and spend some of his free time watching many movies in the genre. Hat Creek Hives loosely takes its name from the book by Larry McMurtry book and the mini-series “Lonesome Dove”.

In my younger days, I spent a lot of time on horses working cattle, doing veterinary work on ranches and enjoying the wide-open spaces of west Texas. The opening scenes of Lonesome Dove takes place at the Hat Creek Cattle Company, a small ranch located in the wide-open spaces of Lonesome Dove, Texas, just north of the Rio Grande. Hat Creek was run by two old retired Texas Rangers, Woodrow Call (played by Tommy Lee Jones) and Augustus “Gus” McCrae (played by Robert Duvall). Desiring one more adventure before retiring to the rocking chair, Woodrow and Gus leave Texas to drive a herd of cattle to the unspoiled lands of Montana to set up a new ranch there. Unfortunately, Gus dies before arriving in Montana, but Woodrow promises Gus on his deathbed that Woodrow will take him back to Texas for burial at a place called “Clara’s Orchard”. Woodrow makes good on his promise, and takes Gus back to Texas, carrying the Hat Creek Cattle company sign in tow, eventually having to use part of the sign as a grave marker for Gus’ grave. The story pretty much comes full circle back to that little ranch in south Texas.

I suppose the movie reminds me of younger days. The movie also has a lot of cowboy wisdom about how to live life to the fullest and the idea that you are never too old to do something new and exciting if you have a passion for it. Raising and caring for honey bees is that new and exciting passion for me. I endeavor to share my passion with others, from the products I sell to the teaching and education of children, adults and veterinarians about the importance and the wonders of the honey bee.

But there are limits. Goats and donkeys are neither bought nor sold, and I don’t rent pigs. Uva Uvam Vivendo Varia Fit.