In 2019, we moved to Central Oregon from out of state and brought our bees with us. Our daughter, only 16 at the time, had been raising bees for about a year.

I knew she needed another mentor to teach her what she needed to be successful.

I searched and contacted several people. One stood out. She was very kind, but made firm expectations clear—and said if our daughter didn’t meet them, she would depart. I knew at that moment they would be a perfect match, as we share the same high standards for our bees.

She and Larry even kept our bees at their house while we were closing on our property and getting settled.

Naomi mentored Kylie and always refused payment, no matter how hard we tried to financially compensate her. Naomi always had the answer. She coached us through entering honey for FFA at the county fair, catching swarms, re-queening, and every challenge we faced.

Words can’t express how deeply our family will miss her. We will do our best for the bees, better care for them because of her, and certainly pay it forward like she did for us.

Rest easy, bee queen.
—The Baldwins