Santa Barbara Hives is buzzing with treats

Bosses By Bostrom

INGRID BOSTROM

Buzz ever so slightly off the beaten path of downtown Carpinteria to 516 Palm Ave. (next to Risdon’s Auto Care Center) for the sweet local shop, Santa Barbara Hives. Their shop is brimming with bee related items and more, as well as a growing cafe menu, packed with fresh and local ingredients. Queen bee Ashley Farrell, co-owner of Santa Barbara Hives, details the business background in the following interview.

CVN: Please share a bit about the inception of your business. Where did the affinity for bee related products come from?

Ashley Farrell: I am a landscape designer by trade, so I work with the natural world daily. To help support the local flora and fauna my business partner Barnaby Draper and I got a Flow Hive. Bees play a vital role in our food system so we feel supporting them in any way we can is essential. We both learn so much from the bees and how they work together in a democratic way. We also offer bee services such as bee rescues, Flow Hives, hives checks, queen bees and nucs of bees.

You continue to add more to your cafe offerings. Please describe the breadth of your menu and what ideas you are cooking up.

We have so many fun things coming!

Everything we do is housemade with love. We have organic coffee, espresso, tea, hibiscus iced tea, lavender lemonade and house made horchata. One special item is our fresh cashew milk we make daily for our espresso drinks… it’s deli- cious! We are partnering with Carpinteria Darby Farms for local produce and making a variety of salads and sandwiches… turkey and avocado, grilled portobello with tapenade, egg salad with butter lettuce and dolphin-safe tuna salad. All of our sandwiches are made with local Riviera Bread. Our fresh salsa and chili rellenos are incredible! Our baked goods include scones, blueberry bran and banana nut muffins, a breakfast bar, brownies and cookies, all with vegan and gluten free options. We are currently working on vegan cheesecakes and more fermented items.

For those that haven’t visited your shop before or recently, what would you like them to know about what they can expect there?

Our local honey is the highlight! We are very excited about our Santa Barbara Hives products made at our Santa Barbara location… lip balms, candles, bath bombs and more to come. We focus on products that are good for the planet and good for people with various dry pantry products such as Ojai Olive Oil, spices from Spice Topia in Ventura and so much more. We love everything culinary focus and we also have great local jewelers and ceramic artists. A great place to grab your morning coffee and lunch for the day, plus great gift items. We are a hidden gem off the beaten path!

Your vast walls are filled with local art. What is your arrangement with artists who show their work in your shop? How can artists best connect with you? Featuring local artists is a huge delight! Each artist is unique, so we work with each artist individually. Calling the store is the best way to connect with us, at (805) 318-9049.

What was your favorite thing about growing up in Carpinteria?

Spending all day at the beach!

Ingrid Bostrom is a photographer, drawn to open space and stories told in each new face. Send ideas of impactful Carpinterian bosses to ingrid@ingridbostromphotography.com.

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