My regular readers know that I’m kind of obsessed with raw honey. OBSESSED! Honeycomb, pollen, propolis, beeswax, all of it.. I’m on it like.. uh, well, I guess like bees on a honeycomb. (That sounded cooler in my head.)
In my ever evolving knowledge of bees and the art and science of apiculture, I have come to expect three things from my honey: 1) That it is produced naturally and ethically; 2) That it is raw and unfiltered; and 3) That it is local and preferably from a family that I would feel confident supporting and promoting.
SO! Meet the Hess Family, owners and operators of Kingsburg Honey in Kingsburg, California! I discovered this company after trolling my criteria for honey on the good ol’ interwebs, and then I reached out to the Hess family asking for a chance to get a closer look at their all natural, organically raised local honey.
Daren Hess and his 11 year old son Dmitry were awesome enough to take Jonathan and myself out to a family owned organic farm where they keep their bees (many of them “rescued” from exterminators after making their home in the side of a barn or chimney, or swarming onto a tree in a residential neighborhood). When not on the organic farm, the bees forage among wildflowers along the Kings River.
I mentioned earlier this year that I am fascinated with bees (mostly because I’ve never been stung by one) and I have been flirting with the concept of beekeeping on my little urban homestead in the city. For all of my love of this age old art, I have never, EVER, been close to bees making honey before. It’s actually been high up on my bucket list to handle bees in a beehive – right up there with “pet a penguin” and “find a dinosaur bone”. (I shoot for the stars, I tells ya.)
So visiting these hives was kind of awesome for me. When Daren asked if we’d like to handle the bees and get up close, it took every ounce of my self control to not squeal like a little girl. Would I like to play with honey bees?! Heck to the yes!!
Every step of our visit to the beehives was, well, kind of awesome in the face! We hadn’t even cracked open a hive yet and I was already going giddy with excitement when Daren and Dmitry started lighting the beehive smoker. Oh! And I always thought the smoker was to get the bees all disoriented or something. (Which makes no sense. If I were disoriented and someone was taking my honey I would be stinging the crap out of them.) So I learned that the smoke is to distract the bees – they think there’s a fire and then start collecting the honey. The more you know.
Dmitry was awesome and handled the bees like a boss. His dad Daren is hoping he’ll consider carrying on the family tradition of beekeeping and if he does, he’ll be the fifth generation in his family to tackle this cool hobby and valued art. While I was stuttering over how to correctly pronounce “propolis”, Dmitry was pointing out queen bees, drone bees and casually dropping abstract bee knowledge all over the place.
The Hess Family is quite serious about raising bees in a natural and ethical manner, which is beyond important here in the Central Valley of California, where orchard, crops and farms are all dependent on healthy bee populations. Daren and Dmitry recently returned from an Organic Beekeepers conference in Arizona, where they studied methods of natural, organic beekeeping – keeping current on their craft is important to this family, which is extremely impressive to me.
So guess what!? Jonathan and I got to handle bees!!! How cool is THAT?! And you know my flirting with the concept of beekeeping? After playing with these beauties, now Jonathan is on board with my lofty urban beekeeping plans. (Mwahahaha, I WIN!)
So Jonathan and I had an absolute blast with this fun hands on experience with bees, and now we are SERIOUSLY considering raising our own bees for local homegrown honey.. but in the meantime, we’re more than excited to purchase the organically raised, all natural Kingsburg Honey from the Hess family!
A BIG thank you to Daren and Dmitry for such a fun and educational outing to your organic bee hives!
Such an interesting place! Honey is so healthy and i really love it! Thanks fr sharing!
xx
cvetybaby.com
Oh my goodness Gingi… I don’t like being around one bee… I am not sure I could handle all of those bees… I am in awe of them and how miraculous they are… they are an amazing creature to say the least. From making amazing honey to being able to fly when science even thinks they shouldn’t…. I have done projects on them… still not sure I could handle them xox
Yes, THIS!! The bee is one of those tiny creatures that just screams of the majesty and complexity of our God! I love the mystery surrounding bees – from their flight to the components of pollen that confound scientists trying to replicate it’s properties in a lab. These little guys are just amazing.. even if honey weren’t a tasty by-product of owning bees, I’d be interested in owning some for a season just to observe and study these guys!
Lol! Your referring to them as “guys” tickled me a bit. At the risk of correcting admin, I’d just like to say, “These *girls* are amazing…” because alllll of the hard work in the bee world is really done by the ladies. Buzzbuzzbuzz. The drones (males) are stingerless, and pretty much exist to mate with the queen… and then the fat, fuzzy little guys perish. The rest of the work: the hive, the millions of miles of flights, the comb, the baby-rearing, the hive defense, the honey production and storage– it’s all the ladies. 😀 Props to them! (Or should I say Propolis to them! heehee)
LOL, your comment wins at everything forever! So does your e-mail! And propolis to them? I have a comment crush on you, hehe! I’m off to buy a book on honeybees and beekeeping now.. I clearly have a ton to learn!!
Ooh, I’d love to get this local honey next time I buy some.
I’m allergic to bees and would freak out if I was anywhere near a hive, but that had to have been a really interesting experience! I like putting raw honey on waffles or on buttered toast.
Also, I nominated you for an award 🙂
http://happyprettysweet.com/2015/04/20/april-wish-list-mules/
Yay, thank you!!! This just totally made my day!! *hugs*!
I respect you for being that close to the bees because I would have shrieked and run! LOL!
Shireen | Reflection of Sanity
This is such a fascinating hobby/craft/business. Honeybees are in danger in many areas, so I’m glad to see this successful operation! The only bees I get around her are bumblebees (which are adorable) and yellow jackets (which I hate!)
Yeah, I was reading up on hives collapsing.. scary times!!
So cool! Glad you got to do this! 🙂
-Ashley
Le Stylo Rouge
This is a super cool post! As you probably know, vegans don’t eat honey, and I get it if that means honey that comes from unethical bee keepers. However, this family obviously cares about the bees and the bees are fortunate to have such an amazing environment to live and make honey. I wouldn’t have a problem eating this honey.
Love the photos, you really have a gift.
Awww, thank you Linda! I had so much fun taking pictures I forgot to worry about getting stung!! haha!
Sounds like an exciting adventure, I have always wanted to pay with the honey bees too!
Look at you holding up that board of bees! What an interesting lesson for both kids and adults. I LOVE the honey I buy at our farmers market, and the options. Who knew honey could taste different depending on the plant they gather nectar from? Right now I’m all about the blackberry honey, especially in my tea. Yum!
I know, I’m holding those bees like a BOSS, right?! hehe.. I am partial to wildflower honey.. mm mm mmm!
Lol I usually eat this stuff by the spoonful!
Gingi, this looks like such an awesome bee experience! Wish I could have joined you. I’m with you, I totally agree with how you get your honey. And the kind of honey you recommend helps with allergies to, or so I’ve read! Great post friend =)
You need to live closer Laura!! Ohhh, the blogging shenanigans we could get into!
I love it in my tea every morning. Mmmhmmmm
This place looks so interesting but I would be too scared to go near the bees!
Sarah | http://sarahanne14.blogspot.com/
How very cool!! I’m a huge supporter of local honey mostly because of my terrible allergies. It’s always fun to see the actual process, especially knowing that bees are very important to our entire ecosystem!
I take honey for my allergies too! Local is the best for allergies, which is why I’m sooo happy to find such an organically minded beekeeper close to home! <3
Yum honey!
i think you would make an excellent beekeeper! this looks like such a fun outing with the little ones. i think lucas would get a kick out of seeing the bees and learning about making honey. thanks for sharing sweetie! 🙂
love, liz
http://www.stylewich.com
Yikes-I’m sort of freaking out! I thought you had to wear special gear to be around bees like that!! A guy Chris used to work with had hives and would give us fresh honey every once in awhile – it was awesome!!
I thought so too, but these bees were crazy chill! And it make me feel pretty dang mighty, haha! 😉
I love raw honey, but I am a total wimp. I would have to be wearing full gear to be that close,because I have been stung one time to many!Seeing a swarming hive just gets me itchy. We live in the land of Africanized bees and those are no joke! And look at you holding up that board like a champ!It’s amazing that they don’t need suits, they have to be the “primo” of bee handlers!Yummy giveaway 🙂
What an awesome day, and what wonderful pictures! It must have been so cool to see how the process happens. I would have been terrified of the bees though – you are much braver than I am!
xo,
Jessica
http://www.fortheloveofbubbly.com
How funny, my family also found Daren online and asked about a tour of the bees. That was early fall 2014, and now we are backyard beekeepers. We are lucky enough to have Daren guiding us along. He helped us catch our first swarm and since then we’ve caught two more. It all began that day at Kingsburg Honey. We were amazed with the keeping of bees and think they are completely fascinating and important.
Small world! (Or small Central Valley..? haha!) My husband and I are going to pick Darens brain over starting out with a hive.. we are totally sold on beekeeping now!
You guys are brave. I’m scared of bees, but I love honey. Lol!! Sure sounds and looks like a good trip. Lovely photos! :))
missymayification.blogspot.co.uk
Haha, I don’t know about brave, but it was pretty darn fun! 😉
Mmmm, I love honey! Their honey looks amazing. What a great adventure you had, I admire how you pursue your goals!
Haha.. thats usually my problem.. I pursue too many goals at once! 😉
Wow! This is so neat! I love to add raw honey in my tea. I also like to eat it on my toast.
Wow, it must be quite a cool experience to get close to the bees! Thanks for sharing this interesting episode!
Prudence
http://www.prudencepetitestyle.com
Gingi – In high school, I participated in beekeeping and maple syrup production. It was such a rewarding activity. The beekeeping suits weren’t my favorite style of clothing, but the reward for local honey was definitely worth it.
Man, you must have gone to a cool high school! Part of the reason why I want to homeschool my kids is so they can do things like this – the high schools here in Cali DO NOT offer cool outings and projects like this!
That looks like such an adventure, what an interesting post.
xx Z&G
http://www.temple-of-beauty.com
I am terrified of bees because of the fact that I’ve never been stung by them. haha But I LOVE honey! There is a family literally down the road from me who sell honey. I love knowing where it comes from and that I’m supporting a local family.
Yeah, I always tell people here in the Central Valley, that being in an agricultural community, we have no reason NOT TO know where our food comes from!
It must have been a great experience!
So fun! My in laws have beehives and I love visiting and checking out the hive!
Melanie @ meandmr.com
You have outdone yourself! Excellent post! Love the pics, the writing, everything. I am a big fan of raw honey, too, and when in Greece last summer stuffed as many jars as we could in our suitcase. It is amazing stuff and tastes nothing the overly sweet stuff (laden with horrible junk) in those bears! Good luck with new endeavor!
Oh man, I am soooo jealous of your Greece trip. Take me with you next time!! *shakes fist!* And that must be awesome, to come home with so many local flavors. I am usually hoarding coffee and wines and oils on my travels!
I would be scared to do this but it seems so cool 😀 Love the photos!
Florals&Smiles
Twitter
I love drizzling honey on pancakes!
SERIOUSLY…..COOL….POST! Thanks for the great info and wonderful photos. Loved this. – Kim
<3 <3
I love bees thy are so magical and hard working creatures (hate wasps though)! Back home we had a lot of fresh honey and some of my friends grandparents had beehives so your photos bring me back to childhood)
Wonderful post!!!
I love to swirl it in my homemade ice cream – I would soo love to try this honey!
Ever since we visited a honey farm, we wanted to have our own bees. One year we did, it was so good. Loved your pictures!
Oh my, I need to pick your brain on this whole beekeeping thing girl!
Wow, what a cool experience!
That looks so cool! You wouldn’t get me anywhere near all those bees though! Scary!
Corinne x
You could do it girl, I’ve seen your blog, you are daring. 😉
I like it in little spoonfuls by itself. 🙂
Favorite way to eat raw honey is on bread.
Oh my gosh. I know bees are great for our earth but I don’t think I could get that close to them! But I do love honey; either as a sweetener in cooking/baking, or just to dip apples in!
Yeah, we try to use honey or maple as a sugar sub whenever possible in our home!
These photographs are beautiful! I’d be too scared to stand anywhere near those bees.
Connie | Sponsored by Coffee | Bloglovin’
Oh I’m so happy for you that you got the chance to do this! It seems really exciting! I’m not the biggest bee fan (got stung once, scarred for life), but I can understand that this must be so nice for you! Love the photos you took!
XO Imke // http://www.pastellics.com
Lol, it will be a sad day when I eventually get stung. 😉
I like to add honey to sweeten my smoothies or I use it instead of other sweeteners when baking.
I love bees too (and i have been stung by one!)
Great photos from what must have been a fascinating trip
Bees are just brilliant and an important part of life’s rich cycle.
Great post with great photo’s … thanks
All the best Jan
<3 <3
Wow! I am obsessed with bees and honey myself. I always get scared about them disappearing off the earth completely.. because.. we can’t have that.
I am so loving these photos. I don’t know if I’d be that calm around bees so that wouldn’t be for me lol. But I am also obsessed with raw honey. I just loved this post.
Kay of Pure & Complex
http://www.purecomplex.com
THAT.IS.AMAZING!!! I love honey so much. What a great experience. How do they handle those bees without getting stung or what? 🙂 My father actually used to have a small beehive where he gets honey and sells them. I never got close to the bees because I’m scared they’d swarm over me. Gaahh
I like to eat it on Greek yogurt.
I’ve never had raw honey before.