John Gipson started beekeeping in 1987 as a hobby and a way to spend time with his kids. The hobby took off, and Santa Rosa-based Gipson’s Golden is now a leading producer of raw honey. The Gipson’s built the company from the ground up: starting out small, they expanded into producing so much honey that they had to give it away to friends and neighbors. Production continued to grow in the 1990’s, now with enough honey to sell at farmers markets. By 2004, their accountant said the hobby had become a business, and Gipson Golden, Inc. was born. Gipson’s Golden raw honey’s are sought out for their immune system support and specialty flavors, including Manzanita, Avocado, Eucalyptus, and Lavender.
