Stephanie Gibson Lepore is the Copy/Research Editor of Country Living. She enjoys writing about a range of topics and making sure the facts are accurate. When she's not checking out the latest Instagram post from Merriam-Webster, you can find her hunting home decor at an antiques shop, reading WWII fiction in a sunny spot, cheering (loudly) for her football team, or planning her daughter's next birthday party (themes forever!). ","jobTitle":"Copy/Research Editor"}]},"publisher":{"@type":"NewsMediaOrganization","name":"Country Living","sameAs":["https://twitter.com/countryliving","https://www.youtube.com/c/CountryLiving","https://www.facebook.com/CountryLiving","https://instagram.com/countrylivingmag/","http://www.pinterest.com/countryliving/"],"logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://www.countryliving.com/_assets/design-tokens/countryliving/static/images/logos/logo-jsonld.01b7535.png","width":312,"height":60},"parentOrganization":{"@type":"NewsMediaOrganization","name":"Hearst Corporation"}},"keywords":["content-type: Feature","locale: US","displayType: standard article"],"url":"https://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/a60029677/fat-head-honey/","isBasedOn":"https://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/a60029677/fat-head-honey/","isAccessibleForFree":"False","hasPart":[{"@type":"WebPageElement","isAccessibleForFree":"False","cssSelector":".content-container"}],"description":"Brian and Kathy Suchan of Fat Head Farms are serious about their honey—and their bees!","author":{"name":"Christopher Michel","url":"https://www.countryliving.com/author/225288/christopher-michel/","@type":"Person","description":"
Christopher Michel has been the Senior Food and Gardens Editor at Country Living Magazine since March of 2021. Chris has over ten years of experience writing and editing for national magazines and websites, mostly in the food space, such as Cooking Light, The Kitchn, Rodale’s Organic Life, and Bon Appetit. Prior to that, Chris worked in a variety of food spaces in New York City. In 2022, Chris completed the Alabama Master Gardener’s Program hosted by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System.\n\n
Chris lives in Birmingham, AL, where he enjoys running, reading, and cooking for his wife and two girls. ","image":"https://hips.hearstapps.com/rover/profile_photos/885f6924-54ab-4a1d-8d80-ede4f2391688_1623876544.jpg"},"@context":"http://schema.org"},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"ItemList","numberOfItems":4,"itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@context":"https://schema.org/","@type":"Product","name":"Creamed Honey","image":"https://vader-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/1709235569-CreamedHoney.png","sku":"12-oz-creamed-honey","brand":{"@type":"Brand","name":null},"offers":[{"@type":"Offer","url":"https://www.fatheadhoney.com/shop/12-oz-creamed-honey","priceCurrency":"USD","price":"18.00","availability":"https://schema.org/InStock","offeredBy":{"@type":"Organization","name":"fatheadhoney"}}]}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@context":"https://schema.org/","@type":"Product","name":"Hickory Wood Smoked Honey","image":"https://vader-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/1709235620-WoodSmokedHoney.png","sku":"12-oz-hickory-wood-smoked-honey","brand":{"@type":"Brand","name":null},"offers":[{"@type":"Offer","url":"https://www.fatheadhoney.com/shop/12-oz-hickory-wood-smoked-honey","priceCurrency":"USD","price":"18.00","availability":"https://schema.org/InStock","offeredBy":{"@type":"Organization","name":"fatheadhoney"}}]}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@context":"https://schema.org/","@type":"Product","name":"Bourbon Barrel Aged Honey","image":"https://vader-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/1709235650-bourbonhoney.png","sku":null,"brand":{"@type":"Brand","name":null},"offers":[{"@type":"Offer","url":"https://www.fatheadhoney.com/shop/hwr28a34pieafc7uuowu21lr4jd3mt","priceCurrency":"USD","price":"18.00","availability":"https://schema.org/InStock","offeredBy":{"@type":"Organization","name":"fatheadhoney"}}]}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"item":{"@context":"https://schema.org/","@type":"Product","name":"Kathy's Go To Honey","image":"https://vader-prod.s3.amazonaws.com/1709235674-3.png","sku":"kathys-favorites-bundle","brand":{"@type":"Brand","name":null},"offers":[{"@type":"Offer","url":"https://www.fatheadhoney.com/shop/kathys-favorites-bundle","priceCurrency":"USD","price":"45.00","availability":"https://schema.org/InStock","offeredBy":{"@type":"Organization","name":"fatheadhoney"}}]}}]}]
Some folks might balk at living with millions of potentially prickly neighbors, but for Brian and Kathy Suchan of Clarkson, Nebraska, beekeeping’s a labor of love—truly.
The couple met after Kathy (who was beekeeping in South Carolina) first tasted some of Brian’s wares (he’s a fourth-generation beekeeper) at the behest of her mother.
“She said, ‘Oh my gosh, I’ve found the best honey I’ve ever had in my life,’ ” says Kathy. “Which kind of hurt my feelings!”
Kathy soon got over the sting, and her romance with Brian blossomed. So did their business. Together, they founded a company—Fat Head Farms, named for their first bulldog, Porkchop—and began making and selling dozens of honey products, such as Lavender Blossom Infused, Hickory Wood Smoked, and Chocolate Creamed. They currently manage around 800 colonies (that’s more than 45 million bees!), which forage for nectar all across Eastern Nebraska and produce more than 40,000 pounds of honey per year.
Jessica Vettel
The Mascots
Porkchop (above, right), the Suchans’ first dog and Fat Head’s unofficial CEO, inspired the logo. Harley (left) came next. Then Porkchop’s mom, Queen (center), unexpectedly arrived. “We couldn’t say no,” says Kathy. “She’s family.”
Brad Iwen
The Beekeepers
Though managing all those hives keeps the Suchans as busy as their buzzing buddies, they do find time to relax and enjoy themselves. “On warm evenings, Brian and I always try to take some time to lay back in our chairs on the back patio and just listen to the hum of the bees coming back to their hives,” says Kathy. “There’s really nothing more soothing than that sound. It’s almost surreal.”
Kathy (above) packs a box in Fat Head’s main offices: the old farmhouse, which was unoccupied after Brian and Kathy had a new house built on the property. “It was supposed to be bulldozed, but when we started dating, I put my foot down,” says Kathy. “It has so much character.” The wallpaper is original; the chandelier, a gift.
Brad Iwen
The Mission
“For us, bee health is number one,” says Kathy. That means Fat Head bees forage on clover and wildflowers but aren't transported around the country to pollinate crops—something commercial beekeepers often do, which can stress colonies.
How to Start Beekeeping
Interested in keeping bees of your own? The Suchans have some advice:
Honeybees are not aggressive, but stings happen. Find out if you (or any family members) have bee allergies. If so, you can take steps to minimize risk.
In some areas, beekeepers must register hives, have neighbors’ consent, or keep the number of colonies within certain limits. Check before investing.
Local bee clubsoffer mentorship, support, and a wealth of info on regional weather, pests, and food sources. You should join before acquiring a hive.
Having more than one hive lets newbies compare progress and gives you more resources to work with if a colony starts to have difficulties.
We've got tons of great recipes for using honey! Kathy recommends drizzling her barrel-aged honey over roasted vegetables or salmon. “It takes it up a notch.”
You can buy Fathead Honey on their site! Here are some flavors we recommend:
Stephanie Gibson Lepore is the Copy/Research Editor of Country Living. She enjoys writing about a range of topics and making sure the facts are accurate. When she's not checking out the latest Instagram post from Merriam-Webster, you can find her hunting home decor at an antiques shop, reading WWII fiction in a sunny spot, cheering (loudly) for her football team, or planning her daughter's next birthday party (themes forever!).
Fact-checked by 
![m and ms](https://hips.hearstapps.com/hmg-prod/images/in-this-photo-illustration-m-ms-are-piled-in-a-container-on-news-photo-1725649948.jpg?crop=0.699xw:1.00xh;0.151xw,0&resize=360:* "M & M's To Withdraw Cartoon Candies After "Woke" Criticism From The Right")
