In 1949, Andrew Card, Sr. and his wife Alice were given one hive that quickly became many. Within a couple of years they decided to make some money with this new hobby they had found, and started to provide a few hives for local apple pollination. By 1958, Merrimack Valley Apiaries (MVA) was incorporated, and soon after grew to 800 hives becoming a significant second job. It was at this time MVA started to pollinate wild blueberries in Maine and cranberries on Cape Cod.
After graduating from Bates College in 1973, Andy Jr. made beekeeping his full-time occupation. At that time MVA had about 2500 hives. In 1974, Andy, Jr. and Crystal were married. She began working with the bees and became very interested in raising queens.
In 1976, MVA began migrating in order to meet the growing demand for stronger colonies earlier in New England pollination. In 1998 Evergreen Honey Company was established for over-wintering MVA's hives and honey production in Louisiana.
Today, both companies have grown and operate over 12,000 colonies nationwide providing NUCs, pollination services, raw and processed honey, and processed bees wax.
After graduating from Cornell in 2003, Wesley and his brother Glenn, a 2006 graduate from the University of Vermont represent the next generation of beekeepers from a family farm that began with a single colony. With three generations backed by fifty years of experience we look forward to meeting your beekeeping needs now and in the future.