Sweet As Can Bee Honey Farm

Posted By Chef Isaac on February 6, 2009

I first must apologize in advance. As you read this, it will be apparent that this is a hot button for me. For years, we have been arguing with beekeepers about organic honey and unfortunately it seems that some do not share (or know) what the word organic really means. This is especially disturbing to me on behalf of beekeepers who claim that they produce organic honey, which in reality it’s far… far from the truth. Trained as a professional Chef and attending the best culinary school in the world along with touring Northern California (biggest organic area in the world) for a month during my studies, I have really had the opportunity to nail down and comprehend what organic really is, what it means, and what organic isn’t. It irks me to have a honey lover come up to our booth and ask for organic honey like they bought down the road from a guy who sells “organic” honey. Even though I love marketing, I hate how the idea of organics has slipped through the cracks and now is misleading on a number of levels. So, with that said, instead of staying quiet about it (like I should), I thought what the heck, I will come out and take the time to tell and educate.

Lets cut to the chase: There is NO SUCH THING as organic honey, period.

But before you believe me, lets dive into organics a little.

In the 80s & 90′s the USDA took on the task of creating a program to highlight organics. The word ‘organic’ can be defined as food items being produced or grown according to strict specific standards set fourth by the USDA. All production must be in compliance with certain production rules and regulations set fourth by the above. No synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or insecticides can be used nor any antibiotics, synthetic chemicals or growth hormones can be used. Nothing that is genetically modified as well.

This multi- level definition should open up all of our eyes to really see what is truly produced and called organic and whats not.

The USDA proposed a plan to the general public and from the mid 90′s to 2002, the USDA listened to the general public with a keen ear and on October 21st, it was passed and made into law. And a wonderful set of laws and standards they are….if people use and abide by them correctly and honestly.

Now, there are steps in becoming organic. You can’t just one day wake up and call yourself an organic producer. You have to become certified organic. In essence, organic certification is a simple concept. A third party—an organic certifying agent—evaluates producers, processors, and handlers to determine whether they conform to an established set of operating guidelines called organic standards. Those who conform are certified by the agent and allowed to use a logo, product statement, or certificate to document their product as certified organic. In other words, the agent vouches for the producer and assures buyers of the organic product’s integrity.

So, let’s get back to the sweet HONEY! If honey was to be organic, we would be able to control the bees and where they go, use no chemicals or antibiotics in our hives, ensure that none of the plants, flowers and other foliage the bees visit has never had synthetic sprays on them, make sure our bee hives are of organic material (wood, paint, nails, frames), etc.

But let’s face the facts….. we can’t.

1- We can’t control the bees. The bees will forage up to a 2 to 4 mile radius. We can’t control where they go. The buggers just won’t listen! (like a teenager).

2- Now a days, with the onslaught of the mites and such, the norm for the beekeeper is to use chemicals and antibiotics to keep their bees healthy.

3- Since we know the bees forage at that amount of distance, we can’t guarantee that the plant life hasn’t been sprayed previously.

4- The most interesting FACT is that the USDA WILL NOT CERTIFY HONEY TO BE ORGANIC!!!! They won’t for the above reasons.

To the Customers: Don’t get fooled. When a beekeeper is trying to sell you organic honey, ask them questions like how do they control the mites? What do they use to fight Nosema? Do they feed sugar syrup?

Its truly a shame that beekeepers try to pass off organic honey when in reality, they have NO CLUE what organic means. Being a lover of honey, you, the customer, have to be aware and keep a keen eye on what people are trying to sell you.

Our Practices: When I first started beekeeping 7  years ago, I was just like other beekeepers and used chemicals. But I came to the realization (I guess you could say I had a Come to Jesus moment) that I eat a lot of honey myself and I didn’t feel good about using chemicals inside the hive. That is when Sari and I made the change to do things in AN ORGANIC WAY. Knowing we could never truly meet the organic standards set fourth, we did change things up dramatically. We no longer use chemicals or antibiotics. Yes, sometimes a large amount of our bees die. And since this isn’t my full time job and we are not necessarily 100% dependent on the income of our bees, we can take those losses. Sometimes we loose up to 90% of our bees. But it’s important for us not to use the chemicals since we do consume a lot of honey. And it’s not good for the bees. What did feral bees do back in the day to get healthier? We also think it’s imperative to keep all of our bees on certified organic farms. We believe that is a key ingredient in keeping our honey as pure as possible. We are organic? No way. But we consistently strive for improvement on how we keep our bees and produce the honey.

….and to the beekeepers: Shame on you! Taking a wonderful product and mis-marketing it to make a buck. Be honest.Or maybe its time for you to hang up your veil and smoker and try something else!

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