A Little Honey Goes a Long Way
There is something magical about honey harvest weekend. We spent the weekend extracting honey, and every year I become more amazed by the entire process. Watching thousands of bees work together to create something so pure is incredible. We have learned so much since we first started keeping bees, and I am proud of how much we have improved. Every season teaches us something new, and every season makes me even more excited to continue growing our apiary.
This year I am a little over halfway finished with harvesting our honey and have already filled around sixty bottles. We decided to bottle only our 7-ounce jars this season so more families could enjoy our honey. Several customers have asked about purchasing larger quantities, and believe me, I wish I had enough honey for everyone. However, we are still growing our apiary, and I never want to take more honey than my bees can comfortably spare. Their health will always come before filling another bottle.
Supporting Local Beekeepers
Because our own supply is limited, we also purchase a few specialty bee products from The Little Bee Keeper here in North Carolina. We offer items like elderberry infused honey, raw bee pollen, and other honey products because I enjoy giving my customers more choices while also supporting another small business.
If you are looking for larger quantities of honey, please let us know. We have reached out to several larger local apiaries and would be happy to point you in the right direction. I truly believe there is plenty of room for all of us to support one another.
Our Honey Has Its Own Story
One of my favorite conversations happened recently when a customer described our honey in a way I had never thought about before.
He said, “Your honey is very floral. It’s like you can actually taste the flowers where the bees gathered the nectar.”
I thought that was such a beautiful description.
When I look around our farm, it makes perfect sense. Wildflowers grow right up to the entrance of our hives. Our woods are filled with sourwood trees, and each year I plant buckwheat to give our bees another excellent nectar source. Those three nectar sources all work together to create something unique.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized our honey really is a blend of everything growing here on the farm. Maybe instead of simply calling it wildflower honey, I should call it our Wild Harvest Blend.
Every Honey Tastes Different. One of the biggest surprises since becoming beekeepers has been learning how different honey can taste depending on where the bees collect nectar. Wildflower honey has a light, floral sweetness. Sourwood honey has a rich, buttery flavor that many people consider one of the finest honeys. Buckwheat honey is darker, bolder, and has deep molasses-like notes. To me, honey feels like one of God’s own recipes. The ingredients never change, yet the flavor changes naturally depending on what blooms around the bees. That is one of the things I love most about keeping bees.
Why Bees Are So Important
Many people think honey bees are important simply because they make honey, but their biggest job is pollination. Honey bees help pollinate many of the fruits, vegetables, nuts, and flowers we enjoy every day. Without healthy bee populations, many crops would produce less food, gardens would struggle, and wildlife would lose valuable food sources. Every day our bees leave the hive before many of us are even awake. They spend hours collecting nectar and pollen while helping thousands of plants reproduce. It is one of the hardest-working little creatures God ever created.
The Benefits of Raw Honey
My favorite part of raw local honey is not simply how good it tastes. I love that it is one of the most natural foods available. Raw honey naturally contains antioxidants, enzymes, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. Because it is minimally processed, it keeps many of the natural qualities that make honey so special. Many people enjoy using raw honey in hot tea, coffee, homemade bread, gluten-free baking, yogurt, oatmeal, smoothies, and even drizzled over fresh fruit or biscuits.
We also enjoy raw bee pollen, which contains naturally occurring vitamins, minerals, healthy fats, and amino acids. As with any food, people with pollen allergies should use caution and consult a healthcare professional if they have concerns.
Looking Ahead
We are also saving some of this year’s honey for muscadine jelly season. Yesterday I walked out to check the vines, and they are absolutely loaded with grapes. I cannot wait to experiment with creating a healthier version of our jelly by sweetening more of it with honey instead of relying entirely on the organic sugar as I have every year before. I love learning new ways to use the gifts God has already provided.
A Little Honey Really Does Go a Long Way
Our apiary may still be growing, but every year we become a little better beekeepers, learn something new, and gain an even greater appreciation for these incredible little pollinators. Thank you to everyone who has purchased our honey, shared my business with a friend, or encouraged me along this journey. Every jar represents thousands of flowers visited, millions of flights made by hardworking bees, and another step toward building the dream I have for Wooly Wildflowers & Honey.
A little honey really does go a long way.
Check out this upcoming event! https://nchoneyfestival.com/