Sweet Legacy
From Richmond Hill Bee Company to Southern Bell Honey
Words By Paige Glazer Photos by Morris & Co.
There are stories that simply stick—like sunlight through Spanish moss, or the slow, golden pour of honey from a jar. The story of Joseph Mitchell "JM" Sikes and his wife, Freida, was one of those for us at Reflections. It first appeared in Volume 13, Number 4, but the memory has never faded.
When we first met the Sikes, they had already spent more than three decades building the Richmond Hill Bee Company, a true home-grown operation that embodied the meaning of local long before it became a marketing buzzword. JM and Freida's hands touched every part of their process—from hive to bottle to the front porches of their neighbors. They were patient teachers, humble experts, and the very definition of extraordinary.
JM, born in a tent on the river, liked to say he'd "never drawn a paycheck from anyone else." He and Freida built a life rooted in hard work and honey—500 hives strong, harvested in the same community they loved. They bottled sunshine, discipline, and devotion in each jar. For almost six decades of marriage, they were partners in every sense of the word—she the calm hand reaching into the hive, he the steady voice assuring, "They're calm today; they won't hurt you."
Freida taught us that "women do all the work" in a hive—and smiled as she said it. JM showed us how a little honey could heal a scrape or sweeten a morning's oatmeal. Together, they created not just a product, but a legacy of authenticity
and care.
Since our original story, Mr. JM has passed away, and Mrs. Freida has retired her veil and gloves, entrusting the bees—and the tradition—to new hands. In true Freida fashion,
she didn't just hang up her smoker; she made a thoughtful recommendation.
"Richmond Hill has a new beekeeper," she told us, "and that's who I get my honey from!"
Those words point to Mike Bell of Southern Bell Honey, whose story we later featured in Reflections as part of the next chapter in Richmond Hill's sweet history. Like JM and Freida before him, Mike tends his hives with the same respect for nature and the same love for community.
If you're looking for a taste of home, you'll find it in a jar of Southern Bell Honey. It's more than honey. It's the continuation of a story that began on the banks of our rivers, in the steady hands of JM and Freida Sikes—and it's one we're honored to preserve in our 20-year anniversary issue.
Both original stories here:
