# How do I find a honey supplier in my area?



## Caelma (Mar 7, 2005)

Is there a group or organization where I can find a honey supplier in my area?

Is there much difference in quality between the back yard bee keeper's honey and the honey on the grocery store shelf?


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## Jack Parr (Sep 23, 2005)

Caelma said:


> Is there a group or organization where I can find a honey supplier in my area?
> 
> Is there much difference in quality between the back yard bee keeper's honey and the honey on the grocery store shelf?


I produce honey and MY honey is much better tasting than store bought honey. I filter once, through a fine mesh screen that comes with the extractor and that's IT. My personal taste test, without bias, tell me that my honey is much tastier  than what I bought in the stores. It just is !  

The store bought honey is bland in comparison. I believe the commercial honey producers do more filtering and other processes to their honey that tend to render it lawsuit safe, thus bland. There are some FDA rules that apply to food producers that don't apply to us backyard honey producers. I do keep things clean as possible. I don't use any chemicals, so far, and hope to continue that way.

I give, to friends and family, and sell to others. My production, so far, has been small but will increase next season. My consumers have been delighted with my honey, and :angel: lavish praise upon me to point of embaressment  

AS far as finding a local honey producers in your area, you could search for a local beekeepers club and go from there. Your state Agiculture dept. should be of some help in finding local, in your area, beekeepers.

Good luck.


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## Oregonsparkie (Sep 3, 2003)

I believe local honey is much better than most store bought honey. Most store honey is clover honey which has little flavor to me, local honey is derived from flowers in your local area which is more flavorfull.

As far as finding a supply of honey, look in your telephone yellow pages under beekeeping. Find a local beekeeper or go to small fruit stands. Many stand carry local honey.


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## Mike in Ohio (Oct 29, 2002)

Caelma,

The first thing you might do is indicate your location. There's a good chance you might find a local honey supplier here.

The next thing to understand are the potential differences between store bought and local honey:

Most store bought honey tends to have been heated and microfiltered. The heating makes it easier for the processor to work with it and the filtering reduces the likelyhood of the honey crystalizing by removing pollen, tiny bits of wax,etc.

Unless the store bought honey is labelled certified organic you don't know what chemicals might have been used in the hive.

The other thing to understand is that quite a few local beekeepers are lax in their practices as far as chemicals. For example, I am amazed at the number of beekeepers who don't follow the instructions for Apistan strips. They tend to leave them on way too long. I have also seen where beekeepers use the strips with honey supers on, etc.

I guess the point I'm making is that local doesn't necessarily equal good. If you do find a local supplier, ask them questions about their practices. Tell them what is important to you.

As usual, just my 2 cents.

Mike

P.S. If you are in the Cleveland area we would be more than happy to sell you honey.


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

Store bought honey may be labled as clover honey but I bet the supplier couldn't prove that. It a mix of honeys from all over the world including China (there honey smells of rotten fish). 
To find a local bee keeper do a search for the state bee keeping club where you live then find one that lives near you. Also search the National Honey Board web site.
 Al


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## suzyhomemaker09 (Sep 24, 2004)

It has been said that honey from China is made from feeding the bees sugar water as opposed to bees actually foraging for their fare which is what adds the wonderful flavour to local honey.


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## Vere My Sone (Mar 10, 2005)

We have local honey at the health food store, and I believe some grocery stores


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