Product & Bee FAQ

MY HONEY IS STARTING TO CRYSTALLIZE IN THE JAR. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?

It's normal for honey to crystallize and does not mean that the quality of the honey has changed. All honey is primarily composed of two types of sugar: glucose and fructose. Honeys high in fructose, like Tupelo and Gallberry, crystallize slowly. Honeys high in glucose like Wildflower and Orange Blossom have a stronger tendency to crystallize over time. Crystallization is natural and does not affect a honey’s flavor. Honey is least likely to crystallize if stored at room temperature. To re-liquefy your crystallized honey, stand the lightly sealed jar in a container of warm water (115F) for 20 minutes, or run under a hot tap. The honey will gently liquefy. You will want to stir it to speed even heating. Remember that our CREAMY is meant to be finely crystallized. Store it in a cooler location, but do not refrigerate or it may get too stiff to spread.

HOW SHOULD I STORE HONEYCOMB?

The best way to keep raw honeycomb is at room temperature in a cabinet or on a countertop. Keep it in its container to prevent any unwanted visitors from getting into it. Of course, avoid exposing your honey to water. It does not need to be in a refrigerator, where it may begin to crystallize.

IS THE COMB EDIBLE?

Yes. The wax cells of honeycomb are edible — chew the comb along with the honey, or spread it on toast.

WHAT IS THE SHELF LIFE OF HONEY? WHY IS THERE AN EXPIRATION DATE ON THE BOTTLE?

Honey does not spoil! Pots of still edible honey have been uncovered after thousands of years in Egyptian tombs. Honey, unlike wine, tastes best during its first few years.

HOW DO BEES MAKE HONEY FROM JUST ONE KIND OF FLOWER?

Varietal honeys like Tupelo, Orange Blossom and Sourwood come from beekeepers who place their hives where one plant is in heavy bloom — such as near tupelo trees in the spring. Bees tend to return to the same kind of flower over and over (called “flower fidelity”), so the honey made during that bloom carries that flower’s flavor. When the bloom ends, usually after a couple of weeks, the beekeeper pulls that honey before the bees move on to other flowers. Our Wildflower honey is the opposite: a natural blend of whatever is blooming around our hives that season.

WHAT MAKES ONE HONEY DIFFERENT FROM ANOTHER?

The species of flower from which the bee gathered the nectar determines the color, flavor, and sugar composition of the honey. Buckwheat honey is black and strong in flavor, acacia honey is almost completely clear and mild. We like to say all honey is good, but some honey is great. And believe us, there is a big difference. Large commercial honey packers often blend for color consistency without regard to taste.

WHAT MAKES YOUR CREAMY HONEY LOOK DIFFERENT FROM YOUR OTHER HONEYS?

We add a small percentage of finely crystallized honey to a very special variety of honey to encourage it to set up like a sweet caramel spread.

I HEAR THAT BEES ARE DISAPPEARING. IS THIS TRUE?

There has been quite a lot of buzz about colony collapse disorder (CCD) and the disappearance of honeybees. Much of it is very alarming, and it is of concern to us. Things you can do: Start keeping some beehives. Do not use neonicotinoids or buy plants treated with them. Plant a diverse variety of flowers that successively bloom.

IS YOUR HONEY FROM YOUR OWN BEEHIVES?

Our Wildflower and Premium Wildflower (gallberry) honey come from our own hives. Tupelo, Orange Blossom and Sourwood are curated from longtime partner beekeepers. The origin of each honey is on its product page, so you always know what's in your jar.

WHY SHOULD CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN 1 NOT BE GIVEN HONEY?

Botulinum endospores are found in the natural environment of dirt and dust, and the spores can contaminate honeys. That is why children younger than 1 should not be given honey. The developed digestive system of older children and adults destroy the spores. Infants, however, can contract botulism from honey as well as other foods that have the spores. Infantile botulism cases rarely trace back to honey, but because the spores can be found in some honey, it is best to avoid giving it to infants.

HELP! THERE’S A HUGE MASS OF BEES IN MY TREE/YARD! WHAT DO I DO? ARE THEY DANGEROUS?

This is called a swarm, and the bees are not dangerous and are rarely defensive at this time because they have no home to defend. When a hive swarms, the old queen bee and roughly half of the worker bees are moving to a new location to begin another beehive. They pile up and send out scout bees to find the ideal new home (a hollow tree for example). When the scouts determine the new home (they actually check out each other’s choices and make a communal decision) the entire swarm takes off in a “galaxy of bees” and flies to their new place.

The scary-looking swarm will usually disappear in a day. If bees have swarmed in an area of your home where children or pets can knock or disturb the swarm in any way, please find a local beekeeper to remove them, rather than an exterminator!

WHAT’S THE BEST WAY TO TREAT A BEE STING?

Scrape the stinger sideways from your skin using a flat tool, long fingernail or credit card. If you pinch or squeeze the venom sack attached to the stinger, you risk squeezing the venom into your skin even more! You will get 1/3 the bee venom with the scraping technique. After that, the pain will subside within 5 minutes and you can take an antihistamine to reduce swelling. Otherwise, there isn’t much you can do to treat the sting itself.

WHY ISN’T EAST HILL HONEY PASTEURIZED?

Pasteurization requires heating a substance to a temperature that is lethal to bacteria. Since honey’s saturated sugar quality and its osmotic effect inhibits the growth of nearly all bacterial species, pasteurization isn’t necessary. Pasteurization also destroys the amino acids and enzymes in honey. Amino acids are one of the healthful properties of honey, and enzymes rapidly break down honey’s sugars after consumption. Pasteurized honey has a weak “sugary” flavor and maintains few health benefits. For these reasons, we suggest you eat honey that hasn’t been pasteurized.