Local Honey

September is National Honey Month. With just a few short weeks left before many of the local farmers markets close for the season, it's a great time to stock up on a few jars of nature's liquid gold.

The most delicious honey is as close to nature as you can get--unpasteurized, unfiltered, and minimally processed. Lucky for us, this kind of local honey is plentiful in all parts of Indiana.

Hunters' Honey  Farm in Martinsville is one of Indiana's largest apiaries with five hundred hives. On Saturday, September 22, they'll host their Fall Harvest Celebration from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. where you can watch them extract and bottle this year's crop. They produce a dozen flavors of honey including blueberry, apple blossom, and lavender which is sold in farmers markets throughout the state, in Meijer's markets, and in their farm's gift shop. Check their site for a detailed listing of outlets.

Tom Brendle, from Brendle Honey Farm in Indianapolis, started his honey operation in the late 1970s to provide his health conscious wife with an alternative to refined sugar. Since then, his initial three hives have expanded to over one hundred and his hobby has grown into a successful business. Tom sells his honey and a variety of honey products (including a luscious whipped honey) at the Geist Farmers Market (The market is located at 8115 Oaklandon Road in Indianapolis on Thursdays from 3:30-7:30 p.m. September 27 is the last day for 2007.) and Fresh Market in Carmel.

Laney Honey in North Liberty offers four local honeys including Black Locust, Dune Country, Wildflower, and Autumn Wildflower. Their honey is sold in several supermarket chains in Indiana including Martin's Supermarkets, Kroger, O'Malia, Ultra Foods, Strack & Van Til, Town & Country, Al's, Barney's, Wild Oats, and Super Kmart. You can also order honey from them through their website.

Rob Green, Bluffwood Creek Honey, sells his honey and other bee related products (including his honey sticks which are perfect for handing out to trick or treaters instead of candy bars) at the Abundant Life Church's Farmers Market and Traders Point Organic Farmers Market . Rob is also publisher of the Midwest Beekeeper .

Laura Karr, an entomologist, started her hives so she would have plenty of bees to pollinate her home property's apple trees and ended up with so much honey that she decided to sell it. You'll find Laura's KGBEES honey at the Zionsville Farmers Market .

Mother Earth Harvest,in Westfield, is operated by Jeff Maddox. He's been beekeeping for eight years and selling his honey for the past four years. His twelve hives are located in an apple orchard and on his farm. This year Jeff's honey was sold at the Indianapolis Greek Festival. You can purchase his honey by calling 317-698-8088.

There's nothing more local than honey from your own backyard. If you've ever wondered what it takes to start and maintain a home hive (or two), attend the 2008 Indiana Beekeeping School.  The January classes are now open for registration.

When my friend Murph Damron modeled in London in the late 60s and 70s, she and the other lean and lanky Carnaby Street girls would fix themselves a light breakfast by topping a crispy Weetabix or rye crisp cracker with a thick slice of fresh mozzarella, a drizzle of honey, and plenty of salt and pepper. I tried the recipe this morning using a Weetabix, Traders Point Creamery's Fresh Mozzarella, Laura Karr's honey, a light sprinkle of Celtic sea salt, and a few generous grinds of fresh black pepper. Although the combination sounds a bit unusual, it works and is a must-be-tried taste and texture sensation. With a cup of tea liberally laced with more honey, it provided a yummy start to my day.

Check out the Indiana Food Guide on this site for a listing of Indiana honey producers.

(Beekeepers photo courtesy of Tracey Hunter at Hunter's Honey Farm.)

 

Comments

[Paula]

Completely natural, chemical free, honey that comes from bees on a 110 acre totally natural Amish farm in Honeyville (honest!), Indiana.

Honeyville Apiary (Jonathan and Lora Yoder). 574-329-1311 (message)