Hal Hoffmann didn’t set out to become a beekeeper, it started as a wedding gift. In 2021, his father-in-law, George Stone, gave him a starter hive of honeybees, and Hal has been hooked ever since.
From that first hive in Charlotte, North Carolina, the apiary has grown and shrunk with the seasons — at its biggest, Hal kept four hives buzzing at once. Today, Halo Honey is back down to one thriving colony, tended with the same curiosity and care that started it all.
Every hive gets a name — always somewhere special to Hal and his wife, Melissa (George’s daughter). Over the years, the the bees have called Greenville, Flagstaff, Wylie, and Cashiers home.
Leveling Up: NC Certified Beekeeper
In March 2026, Hal became a Certified Beekeeper through the NC State Beekeepers Association Master Beekeeper Program, the entry level on a path that continues through Journeyman, Master, and Master Craftsman. Certification meant passing both a written exam and a hands-on practical test administered by an experienced beekeeper, proof that the hobby that started with one gifted hive has grown into a real craft.
