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Beekeeping emerged as one of the pioneering industries in De Luz, Fallbrook, and various other regions of Southern California. Remarkably, San Diego County was once the foremost honey-producing area in the entire nation. This achievement was owed to the abundant succession of blooming plants flourishing in the chaparral and coastal sage habitats.

Honey bees are not indigenous to America but were introduced from Europe by early settlers. The Native Americans referred to them as the "white man's fly." It was only in the 1850s that honey bees were brought to California. Their exceptional productivity in this region quickly became evident, propelling the industry's rapid growth. Coincidentally, this era coincided with the invention of the Langstroth movable frame hive, marking the advent of modern beekeeping and facilitating the swift propagation of colonies.

During the 1850s, Vital Reche settled in Fallbrook and embarked on commercial beekeeping. He proudly branded his honey as "Fall Brook," paying homage to his hometown in Fallbrook, PA. Reche may have served as a source of bee colonies for the early residents of De Luz, as many of the initial settlers also kept bees. Among these early beekeepers were Reverend Camp, A.I. Stewart, and James Garnsey, who transported their honey to market via train from the De Luz depot.

As agriculture flourished in the area, the chaparral gradually made way for other crops that greatly benefited from bee pollination. Even today, De Luz remains a favored destination for beekeepers who bring their bees for honey production and to provide vital pollination services for avocados and other crops.