Honey is the only product produced here at the farm that isn't certified organic. Why is that? To certify honey, the bees must have a minimum of two square miles of certified organic forage to harvest from. Since we don't own that quantity of land nor are able to control what is produced outside of our own physical farm up to two square miles, we cannot legally certify it. However, our friend and beekeeper, Tim Poff manages the bees according to the USDA's organic standards. Tim's hives live here at the farm year round - we are their year round home and primary source of pollen and nectar.
Tim extracts honey in small batches, meaning each batch is reminiscent of the season it was harvested in and reflects the forages from which the bees were most recently harvesting from. Batches vary in taste, smell, and color. From herby, to bitter marmalade, to floral, sweet and lemony, and sometimes even caramel like - the tasting notes of our honey is truly seasonal! Our honey is not heat treated nor filtered and often contain bits of pollen and wax. When you see it in stock - grab a jar! As it doesn't stick around for long.
herbs & flowers
Aside from being beautiful and aromatic, herbs and flowers are great sources of food for bees and birds, especially when there's a continuous supply of blooms throughout the season. When choosing seeds, particularly so with the flowers, I'm selecting for attractive, unique and long-lasting varieties for customers and pollinators alike. With the herbs, I'm instead focused on culinary and/or medicinal value, knowing that many of these species are already so loved by the bees.
Like our vegetables, all of our herbs and cut flowers are Certified Organic. It might seem strange that flowers would be certified since you're most likely not eating them. But rather, it's important to the health of the pollinators (bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, etc.) that frequent and rely on these flowers as a major food source. Don't forget, these are the same creatures that pollinate our food crops! The certification is a testament to our dedication to chemical-free, healthy plants, animals and humans. We sell both plant starts (seedlings) and fresh herbs and flowers.