About Orion Organics
Orion Organics is Tim Benedict's small apiary and garlic farm on West Stone Barn Road, along the Lee-Ogle county line outside Franklin Grove. The farm is surrounded by thousands of acres of native prairie and woodland near the Nachusa Grasslands, and Benedict's bees work those prairie wildflowers for a raw, small-batch honey. He farms with strict organic methods and grows garlic alongside the hives.
This is a working farm rather than a daily attraction. The way to visit is the Ogle County Farm Stroll, a free, self-guided tour of local farms held one Sunday each October from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine. Orion Organics took part in 2024 and again on October 12, 2025. On stroll day Benedict opens the place so people can see the bees up close, and he walks visitors through growing garlic, including when to plant it and how to harvest it.
Honey supply depends on the bees. In 2025 he reported a later, smaller harvest after disease hit some colonies, so bring cash and buy early in the day if you want a jar. The stroll has no set route, so you can combine this farm with an orchard, a bison ranch and other farms in Ogle County.
All Good Things, by Foster & Family, a lavender grower in the Amboy area, is roughly 15 to 20 minutes south, and Nachusa Grasslands is close by for a prairie walk.
What to do
- See the beehives during the October farm stroll
- Learn when to plant and harvest garlic
- Buy raw prairie wildflower honey and garlic, cash in hand
- Add a prairie walk at nearby Nachusa Grasslands
Season, hours and prices
- Season
- Open to visitors during the Ogle County Farm Stroll, one Sunday in mid-October (October 12 in 2025)
- Hours
- Farm Stroll day only: 11 a.m.–4 p.m. (2025)
- Admission
- free (Farm Stroll, 2025)
Good to know
- Reservations
- Walk-in on Farm Stroll day
- Payment
- Bring cash
Tips for your visit
- The farm is open to the public only during the October farm stroll
- Bring cash for honey and garlic
- Honey can sell out in a short harvest year, so come early
Pair it with a lavender farm
All Good Things, by Foster & Family · about 20 minutes away
The Amboy-area lavender grower is about 20 minutes south; check its social pages, since lavender season is summer and the stroll is in October.
Getting there
Questions
Can I visit Orion Organics any time?
No, it opens to visitors on the Ogle County Farm Stroll, one Sunday in October.
Is the farm stroll free?
Yes, it is free and self-guided, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., rain or shine.
What do they produce?
Raw honey from native prairie wildflowers and garlic, grown with organic methods.
Checked in October 2026 against local tourism and news pages. Hours and seasons change, so check with them before you go. How we check listings · Is this your business? Claim it free
