Meet the bEEKEEPERS

Kim Falinski

A scientist and engineer by training, Kim met Howard at a market in 2007 and has been working for Nalo Meli ever since.  She learned beekeeping on the job .

She is proud to continue the tradition of Nalo Meli Honey, by working with new apprentices and teaching beekeeping to the next generation. 

What keeps it interesting is never knowing what the next honey harvest will taste like, or how a hive will respond to a new and challenging location.

She loves connecting with customers and hearing where her honey ends up in the world.

Howard McGinnis

Howard was an electrical engineer when he responded to a call in the paper for a beekeeper in 2005.  He quickly became known as the Beeman, and is known for his generosity, his messy car, and his general love for bees.  

Howard passed away in Florida on June 15, 2017. Here is his obituary: 

A Strange Profession

Beekeeping is a strange pursuit.  It is hot and heavy work with a sweet reward.  Instead the of constancy of a farm, Nalo Meli works with many small farms and households to bring beekeeping and pollination close to home.

Did you know that honey can stay edible for hundreds of years? Or that the queen lives for four years? Honeybees were one of the first animals to be domesticated by humans, and our relationship goes back almost 40,000 years. 

Working with honey is working with a miracle substance - antiviral, antibacterial, and sweet.

Nalo Meli started in 2004 with Ian Damon, who at the time was also president of the Hawaii Beekeeping Association. The company has always been known for its unique varietals, and one of the first batches of honey was a banana honey that is still missed today.

In 2005, Howard McGinnis answered a call in the paper for a beekeeper. He immediately recognized how complex beekeeping could be, and dedicated the last years of his life to spending with the bees and humans that loved honey.

On his passing in 2017, Dr. Kim Falinski took over the torch, and has continued to produce unique honey inspired by Hawaii's microclimates. We look forward to sharing our passion for bees and helping you see and taste the world of Hawaiian honey.