Inspired by Acquired

We hope someday somebody describes Bee Mentors as Acquired for Beekeepers

Talking about the Acquired Podcast each month is one of our favorite father-daughter activities. Its true! Ben Gilbert and David Rosenthal do hundreds of hours of research before telling, in conversational audiobook form, the definitive history and strategy of the world's greatest companies. Their passion, commitment to excellence, and friendship are an inspiration. Bee Mentors is our effort to do something similar for honey bee lovers by telling painstakingly researched stories of the greatest beekeepers in history.

The Team

Rey Baboota

Homegrown Hives

Rey's passion for honeybees began in college and deepened during graduate school, where she explored the use of virtual reality to teach elementary students about bees. Inspired by her enthusiasm, Rey’s father, Ramsey Wilson, also began beekeeping. Together, they are building a family legacy rooted in their shared love for honeybees.

With a master’s degree in early childhood education and teaching experience in Fairfax County Public Schools, Rey brings together her two greatest passions: teaching and beekeeping. She believes there is nothing quite like opening a hive and stepping into the world of honeybees. To Rey, honeybees are more than pollinators - they are teachers. They offer lessons about our planet, our communities, and even ourselves. Her love of sharing these lessons with others lies at the heart of Homegrown Hives.

Ramsey Wilson

Potomac River Queens

Ramsey is a lifelong student and retired attorney turned small-time commercial beekeeper.

A microbreeder of queens from honey bees adapted to life in the Ridge and Valley Appalachians, Ramsey is in the midst of a 5-to-10-year project to develop mite-resistant bees. Yes, that means he withholds chemical treatments for varroa mites from a substantial portion of the apiary, including all queen mating yards.

Ramsey's commitment to breeding locally-adapted bees shapes the entire operation. A Potomac River Queen is made here for here. The entire apiary live here, year round. No queen is ever caged, banked or shipped, making Potomac River Queens unique among American queen producers.