My honey has a fairly simple path from hive to bottle. No heat-treating, no pasteurization, no extra flavoring. This is why my honey is considered raw and is not recommended for infants under 1 year of age. Check out the process step-by-step!
Step 1
First, I remove the frames of honey from the hive. The honey frames (in shallow boxes) are added on to the top of the hive throughout the summer and are called “supers.” The bees fill the frames inside the super with honey and cap them with a thin layer of wax, like a lid. When the frames are fully capped, they are ready to go. I typically brush the bees off each frame, but other beekeepers use different methods, like bee escapes (that let bees out but not back in), fume boards to drive the bees away with unattractive scents, or even a landscape blower to remove the bees!
Step 2
I set up my workspace: buckets, uncapping tank and knife for the wax, clean towels and water, fine mesh filters, and my honey extractor. The key is to extract inside, so the bees can’t interfere with the process.
Step 3
I gently cut off the thin layer of wax cappings from each frame to expose the honey-filled comb underneath!
Step 4
I load the extractor. Extractors spin the frames around and the centrifugal force flings the honey to the sides of the cylindrical tank, where it drips down. I’ve been using a 3 frame, manual crank extractor for the past few years, but it’s time to upgrade. There are extractors with room for up to 20 frames (thankfully those are electric)!Step 5
The moment of truth: opening the valve on the bottom of the extractor to release the honey. It flows into a bucket with a fine mesh filter that will capture any small pieces of wax or other debris.Step 6
The honey is stored in 5 gallon buckets until I’m ready to transfer it into 1lb glass jars. Then it’s off to my customers to be used in tea, baking, simple syrups, on toast, yogurt, or enjoyed straight from the jar.
YGTH is Award-Winning!
I’ve enjoyed entering my honey into the annual Cook County Farm Bureau Honey Contest. Held at Puckerville Farms in Lemont, IL, it’s a fun fall event with pumpkin decorating for kids and a carving contest for adults, as well as competitions for desserts and biggest pumpkins. My first time entering in 2022, my honey was awarded 3rd place. In 2023, I moved up to 2nd place. In 2024, I finally got that 1st place ribbon, and defended my 1st place title in 2025!
Crystallization of Honey
If your honey has crystallized – or become solid – don’t panic, it’s still good! Place your honey jar into a bowl of hot water to reliquefy. Just don’t make the water TOO hot, and definitely don’t put your honey container in the microwave, as the heat will kill beneficial properties. Crystallization happens when part of the glucose in the honey has separated from the water and formed crystals. This commonly happens over time with raw honey.
If your honey has fermented, it means the water content in the honey is higher than normal. It may smell fermented or look a little different. This is usually still okay to eat, too. In fact, some folks like to purposely ferment honey by adding ingredients like cranberries, garlic, or jalapenos.
Store-Bought Honey
If you buy your honey in a store, pay attention to the label. Labels that include wording like, “Product of (multiple countries)” means honey from different countries has been imported and mixed together. Typically, the quality won’t be great, and there’s a chance sugar or corn syrup has been added – yuck! Single-source honey is always better if you can access it; even better if it’s local.
A key word to look for is raw honey. Honey for sale in stores is sometimes heat-treated to stay liquid for longer without crystallization, but heating can kill beneficial enzymes, and reduce or even eliminate antibacterial properties. If you want honey in your tea, go for it – but make sure to lick the spoon!
Note: The American Beekeeping Federation is working with the FDA to establish country of origin label regulations for honey, and the Honey Integrity Act (Bill H.R.2162) was been introduced to the House on 3/14/25.