Today we’d like to introduce you to Olly Pryce.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Nature is my first home — the quiet rhythms of the earth were my first teachers and my closest family. It was in nature that I felt most safe, understood, and deeply connected.
Poverty and the absence of family shaped much of my early life. Without a safety net, I understood that if I wanted to create something meaningful, I would have to find my own way. It pushed me to go to extraordinary lengths, far beyond what most people would consider “normal,” to earn the resources I needed to turn survival into a life built in connection and harmony with nature. Those struggles instilled resilience and revealed my true purpose: to remain in connection with the Earth that has raised me, and give back through my life’s work. My work is both a reflection of that bond and a commitment to restoring harmony between people and the natural world.
When the world shifted during the COVID pandemic, I felt a strong pull back toward that truth. Bees became my way of embodying it — their cooperation, reciprocity, and devotion to the whole mirrored the harmony I longed to live by. What began with eight hives soon grew into around 40, and with them came daily lessons in patience and respect for natural rhythms. For the first four years, I chose not to harvest any honey, as I hadn’t yet found a location abundant enough for the bees to thrive without constant supplementation. Practicing true sustainability meant waiting until they had surplus, so I set harvesting aside and instead focused on building the roots of a business that could mirror the balance and generosity I saw in nature.
As my work expanded from residential yards into larger, integrated projects, my vision grew with it. Today, I partner with businesses, developments, and parks to create living ecosystems that bring both beauty and sustainability to modern spaces. At the same time, I’ve been guided back to the bees’ ancient role as healers. This has evolved into a bee venom therapy practice, where I offer natural treatments for a variety of conditions — carrying forward an age-old medicine that reminds us of the deep healing wisdom contained in the natural world.
Looking ahead, I am launching Legacy Hives — an initiative to place hives outside of retirement homes, veterans’ centers, hospices, and hospitals, creating living sanctuaries where people can reconnect with nature and the most important animal on our planet, the honeybee. Each hive placed is not only a home for bees but also an invitation for humans to remember their own place in the web of life.
My story is really about remembering that nature is our first home, our greatest healer, and teacher — and that when we live in harmony with it, we create ripples of resilience, balance, and connection that reach far beyond ourselves.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
One of the biggest challenges was not having land of my own. I had to rely on other people’s properties, which meant moving dozens of colonies across town whenever those spaces were sold or became unavailable.
Starting over never felt impossible. Life had prepared me for it in countless ways, and while the logistics were challenging, the vision remained clear and very much alive. And in the end, each move became part of the journey that led me to a location where the bees could finally thrive in abundance.
I carry this work forward as a one-woman operation. Every hive inspection, relocation, harvest, and treatment is done with my own two hands. Though progress unfolds at a slower pace, it ensures that every colony receives the full measure of attention and care it deserves. I’m not yet in a place to hire employees, but I welcome volunteers who want to make a difference and experience firsthand the profound connection between humans and bees.
As you know, we’re big fans of Open Hands Honey . For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Open Hands Honey is about creating a bridge between people and the natural world through the way of the honeybee. We focus on sustainable beekeeping, corporate hive partnerships, and bee venom therapy, with an approach rooted in respect for natural rhythms and long-term colony health. Honey is only harvested when there is true surplus, ensuring that the bees are supported first and foremost. Since our beginning, we have never experienced a winter hive loss — a reflection of our patient, balanced, and deeply respectful approach to stewardship.
We offer bee venom therapy in two ways: in-office treatments and at-home training kits with live bees. This natural therapy has been used for centuries to support wellness and has shown promise for a variety of conditions.
I’m most proud that our work extends beyond honey into healing, education, and community connection. We host workshops, wellness classes, and hands-on hive experiences that allow people to directly engage with pollinators and reconnect with nature. Through our corporate partnerships, we not only pollinate acres of local landscapes but also create measurable sustainability impact for organizations, engaging employees in meaningful ways that ripple beyond the workplace.
Through initiatives like Legacy Hives, which donates hives to hospitals, hospices, and retirement homes, we bring nature’s resilience and beauty into spaces that need it most. At its core, the brand is about balance, harmony, and remembering that when we care for the bees — and all living beings — we also care for ourselves.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
As a child, I was shy, anxious, and often withdrawn — fear was instilled in me early, and I found more comfort in nature than in people. My father’s military career meant we moved often, and my family experienced several life-changing challenges throughout my childhood and into adulthood.
Looking back, I see those early experiences as the foundation of who I am today. Constant change taught me resilience, solitude gave me depth, and hardship taught me compassion. I believe every moment was part of a larger design, and I carry it all with gratitude. If I could live it all again to become who I am now, I would without hesitation.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.OpenHandsHoney.com
- Instagram: OpenHandsHoney
