Answering the Top 10 Most Asked Honey Questions by Customers.
(Honey Hive Farms / Arizona Honey)
We’ve been keeping bees and harvesting honey for over 17 years here in Arizona, and we get asked a lot of the same questions about honey — so we thought we’d share some quick answers straight from the hive! 🐝
1️⃣ How can you tell if honey is real or fake?
Real honey crystallizes over time — that’s a good thing! If it stays runny forever, it’s usually overheated or mixed with syrup. Honey Hive Farms / Arizona honey is harvested every year and Wildflower four times a year. This keep our honey fresh.
2️⃣ Does honey ever go bad?
Nope! Pure honey never spoils. Archaeologists have even found edible honey in ancient tombs. Old news, right. But if you let moisture into your honey somehow, that is not a good thing. Keep in a dry and warm place.
3️⃣ What’s the healthiest honey?
Raw, local honey — not pasteurized or filtered — still has its pollen, enzymes, and antioxidants intact. Big honey companies / grocery stores mix their honeys, not single source for sure. They also FLASH the honey. They heat it up and then chill it really quick. This keep it on the shelves longer with less issues.
4️⃣ Can local honey help with allergies?
Many people swear by it! Local raw honey contains tiny bits of local pollen that may help your body adapt naturally. You should take Wildflower. Honey Hive Farms / Arizona Honey harvest its Wildflower honey every three months. This means in October you are not taking Januarys honey / pollen. The pollens are different. Different plants, different times of the year, means different pollens.
5️⃣ Why does my honey turn solid?
Over time crystallization will happen — But if you are buying from a real beekeeper that knows how to take care of the honey / store the honey, etc. This should not be much of a problem. Honey does not like temperature changes. Also note, some honeys crystalize quicker.. Example, Mesquite and for sure Clover,,,, a cheap honey.
6️⃣ What’s the difference between filtered and unfiltered honey?
Filtered honey removes the good stuff (pollen, propolis). Ours is unfiltered and straight from the extractor. We strain our honey so that the pollen is left in, but the bee parts, wax, etc will not be in your honey. The grocery store honeys, they push through a filter under high pressure, not good to eat.
7️⃣ Is darker honey better than light honey?
They’re just different! Light honeys like Mesquite are mild and richer; darker honey like our aged (10 years plus) Cats Claw is strong. Many different honeys, this is why we offer our Try Before You Buy Honey Tasting Events on Saturdays. 10 t0 1 pm.
8️⃣ Why do bees make different types of honey?
It depends on the flowers they visit! Each plant gives its own unique color and flavor.
The honey the bees make depends on the flowers that are close to their hives.
9️⃣ What’s “single-source” honey?
It means the honey comes from one location or bloom — not blended with imported or Clover honey to cut it.. Every jar tells the story of a specific place and season. Just get you honey from a true Beekeeper, THAT has their own bees and harvest their own honey. Ask questions..... Just because they are selling honey,, does not mean they have bees or worse,, where it truly came from.
🔟 What makes Honey Hive Farms different?
We raise our own bees, extract every drop ourselves, and bottle it right here in Arizona. 100% local, glyphosate-tested, and harvested with care. Honey is a food, think about it.. You need to be careful what you put into your body. :)
👉 Want to taste the difference?
Visit us Saturdays 10 am – 1 pm in Peoria or check out https://honeyhivefarms.com/