Frequently Asked Questions

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No, it has not gone bad!!! Now the Beek (bee geek) stuff. Honey is a super saturated solution of natural sugars, primarily glucose and fructose, and very little water. The glucose will separate from the water over time, forming crystals that will begin to solidify in a chain reaction. This is an indication of raw, high-quality honey that has not been mixed with high fructose corn syrup nor has been pasteurized. To re-liquify, warm a pot of water on the stove top to around 120 degrees Fahrenheit and place your jar of honey in the water. It will "melt" back into its liquid consistency.  Crystalized honey is completely safe to eat and some prefer it that way as a spread or a crunchy treat!

Raw honey is simply honey that has been minimally processed to wind up in your bottle. For raw honey, a beekeeper will remove frames containing honeycomb full of honey from a hive. They will then remove the wax capping's from the honeycomb, place the frame in an extractor and extract the honey. The honey is then run through a strainer to remove large particles of debris (wax, bee parts, some dirt, etc.) then the honey is bottled and sold to the customer. It is never mixed with high fructose corn syrup or pasteurized. Pasteurization degrades beneficial enzymes, antioxidants and the flavor. Most grocery store or big box store honey is pasteurized as it looks clearer, making it more visually appealing to some. It also delays crystallization for a longer "shelf life" appearance. 

The glass bottles that I purchase are sized and sold to hold a specific amount of honey by weight. Many large honey packaging companies will mix honey with High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) as HFCS is cheaper than honey and allows the packaging company to essentially thin out the honey to get more product to sell for a cheaper cost to them. The bottles I buy are sized so that an 8 oz, 16 oz or 32 oz bottle will hold the advertised weight of honey. This lets the consumer know they are getting a pure product. If my honey was mixed with HFCS, an 8 oz bottle would weigh less than the advertised weight of what the bottle is designed to hold.  

Worker bees are sterile females that are responsible for collecting nectar and pollen, caring for the brood, and maintaining the hive. Queen bees are larger and are responsible for laying eggs to produce new bees.

For beginners, we recommend starting with a Langstroth hive. These hives are easy to manage and widely used in the beekeeping industry.

You should inspect your hives every 7-10 days during the active beekeeping season. This will allow you to monitor the health of your hives and prevent any potential issues.