Frequently Asked Questions
What breed of bees do you use for your hives?
Sunflower bees are your standard PNW mutt. Relying on local genetics to build strong and resilient local stock.
Do I need lots of acres to have my own bees and honey?
Rather than asking what your acreage can do for your bees, ask what you as a gardener are going to do for bees.
Being a beekeeper does not require tons of acreage, but it does require you to become a gardener. I'm not talking expert gardener straight out the gate, but research what plants you will want to be planting in your landscape. The main things to consider with flowers and plants is to provide a mix of annual and perennials as well as having plants that capture the full range of your season; early spring - late fall. You can't have honeybees and not provide them the food resources they need to survive and to make a surplus of honey for you to harvest.
Do you sell wholesale to restaurants?
Not currently! But HMU, you never know what the future holds.
How is your honey different then stuff at a grocery store?
Short Answer: My honey is hyper local AF and has stronger flavor profiles.
Long Answer: Honey distributors will buy from various different large scale honey producers. They will then mix all the honey from different regions and different sources together into one big batch; bottle and distribute that to the stores. You can see how a flavor profile gets lost in all that work and heat that is added to that whole process. We won't touch the large subject of all the fake honey on the commercial market that also differentiates our product from those found at the store.
Where are your hives located?
Our hives are located at the Seatac airport. Started by my predecessor and mentor, Bob Redmond, this project is in partnership with the Common Acre and the Port of Seattle. The Common Acre conducts native pollinator habitat installations and native bee research in the surrounding areas of our apiary.
Can bees get diseases or pests?
Boy can they! Their main Nintendo Boss is
Varroa Destructor, a parasitic mite that is a vector for other diseases. Sure, there are others out there, worst being American Foul Brood, but there is no stronger foe than the Varroa mite. There is not a beekeeper alive that hasn't and doesn't lose colonies to Varroa. It is important to have a pest management system in place, but if you don't - I can help!
How can a nonbeekeeping person help the bees?
There are lots of ways people can help bees without being a beekeeper. You can check out our section called 'Get Involved' on the navigation bar to find out more!
Does honey expire or go bad?
No! Honey is one of the few products that doesn't expire or go bad. Over time your honey may have some crystilazation. This is perfectly normal and will not hurt you. You can consume as is, or dip your jar in a warm water bath (NEVER MICROWAVE IT).
