MILLERSBURG, Mo. - It starts like any ice cream.
Then, add the honey.
Giofre Apiaries' honey ice cream contains 2 tablespoons of honey for every 8 ounces of ice cream.
The source for that sweet stuff? Outside Domenic and Nancy Giofre's Millersburg shop, hives of honeybees handle production.
The Giofres have had those honey-makers since 2009, when the couple started beekeeping as a hobby and garden-boost.
"She just wanted to have bees to pollinate flowers," Domenic said, pointing toward his wife.
Gradually, the pastime grew.
"The beekeeping just got bigger and bigger," Domenic said.
A few years later, an acquaintance in Columbia who made honey ice cream decided to retire. The Giofres purchased the company's equipment, planning to make their own version of the dessert to sell at the Missouri State Beekeepers Association's booth at the state fair.
That was in 2014. The couple made the trip to Sedalia, ice cream in tow, and has manned the beekeepers' booth each year since.
Now you can find the honey ice cream at other festivals and area stores. The Giofres estimate they make about 200 gallons per week.
They start with a pre-pasteurized dairy mix, then add the honey as the base. Next, they add flavors.
Those might include pureed strawberries or peaches. Most are grown close to home.
"We try to get Missouri fruit when we can," Nancy said.
"All Missouri products when we can," Domenic interjected, pointing out other ingredients such as pecans often come from the Show-Me State.
Their total of 23 flavors includes some basics, such as chocolate and vanilla, but also some not-so-basic ones.
Their most unique? Domenic said that title goes to caramel with bacon. The inspiration came from a pork producer and a fan of the ice cream, who wondered if it could receive some use from his product.
Nancy gives the most-creative-flavor honor to her elderberry ice cream. Because the dark, tiny berries are native to Missouri - but not as common as other fruits - it has a local pride aspect.
"They don't grow everywhere," she said.
Keeping their bees healthy is another major facet of the operation. Nancy keeps a variety of plants near the hives in an effort to give them a balanced diet.
"They need a variety, just like humans," she said.
Giofre Apiaries boasts a host of other products, including jars of honey, honey sticks and non-food items such as lip balm and soap.
For more information, visit TheHoneyIceCreamPeople.com.