FAQ

Varietal honey is honey produced from nectar that is collected from a single floral source.

Producing varietal honey comes down to being in the right place, at the right time, with the right equipment, and pulling off the finished product with the same punctuality. Beekeeping really is a form of art. Some honeys are produced from blossoms from irrigated crops. These honeys are generally more reliably produced each year, and easier for a beekeeper to target. Honeys from irrigated crops include Orange Blossom, Meadowfoam, Blackberry, Pomegranate, and Coriander. Other honeys come from wildly blooming plants that produce nectar for honey bees. These varietals are harder to produce, source, and ensure their purity. Some of these wild plants include Eucalyptus, Sage, Fireweed, and Yellow Star Thistle.

Worry not! Crystallization is a good sign that your honey has been minimally processed, minimally heated, and is still considered raw, unprocessed, and natural honey! Crystalized honey is great for spreading on toast and more making less of a sticky mess.

Much of the honey purchased in big box supermarkets will remain liquid for a long time due to the manner in which it was processed, with high heat and microfilters. These methods remove honey's beneficial pollen, enzymes, and distinct flavor and color characteristics. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says that for a product to be labeled honey, it has to contain bee pollen. A study showed that 76% of store-bought honey from large chain stores contained no pollen at all. (Food Safety News)

The rate of crystallization depends on the amount of fructose in a honey and some honeys are naturally form sugar crystals slower. It may take years for our Florida Tupelo and Black Button Sage Honey to crystallize! On the other side of the spectrum, two of our honeys are sold in a crystallized, creamy form: Hawaiian Lehua, and Creamy California Yellow Star Thistle.

If your honey has crystallized and you prefer your honey in a liquid state, you have many options. They are listed here in order of our preferences.

1) Create a simple double boiler on your stove top and gently heat water with the entire container of honey inside of the water. Do not let your honey get above 120 degrees! Leave this contraption covered for a while until desired consistency is achieved.

2) Just baked some cookies? As your oven is cooling down, put your honey on a shelf in the oven and allow the excess heat to liquefy your honey (Glass Jars Only).

3) Live in a place like Woodland, CA? Put the honey in your car and park in a sunny spot. Your honey should be liquid in time for dinner!

4) Last resort: Microwave. The microwave can heat up your honey very quickly and easily destroy all the desirable components. To liquefy your honey using this method, set your microwave on a very low power level and only heat it for 15-30 seconds periods of time Take it out, stir, and repeat if necessary.

Creamed honey is crystallized honey that has undergone a controlled crystallization process - it is still 100% honey, but with finer crystals. Creamed honey has been seeded with a small amount of crystallized honey to promote smoother, more even crystallization.

The short answer: Yes. We take our time to ensure a gentle warming and straining process, that leaves as much of the product exactly as it was when it was waiting inside the honeycomb.

Technically, there is no 'official' definition for these terms: pure, raw, natural, unfiltered, unprocessed, unpasteurized; these terms are unregulated by the government. That means that the companies who obliterate their honey with extreme heat and ultra filtration, removing all traces of origin, enzymes & pollen, are welcome to call their honey 'raw & natural'.

We are proud to offer our slow food version of honey. Our production process may take up to a week to transfer honey from a drum to a jar, and you will taste, smell and see the difference.

Honey will never go bad if stored properly. High heat can burn honey, and excess water and moisture can cause honey to ferment. Honey has been found in Egyptian tombs that is still considered edible after 2,000+ years! Your honey may crystallize over time, but that doesn't mean you should toss it out! See above for tips on liquefying honey.