logo

Honey

Combs Honey Farm offers extracted (liquid), and cut-comb treatment-free honey for wholesale or retail. Our honey is raw, un-heated and filtered through a medium 400 micron filter. This process preserves all the natural pollens and other nutrients in the honey, while removing any unwanted contaminants.

Our normal varieties include:

  • Mt. Si Wildflower (spring)
  • Blackberry
  • Knotweed
  • Lavender
  • Fireweed (some years)
Storage

Honey can and should be stored at room temperature for normal use. Storing in the refrigerator will cause pre-mature crystalization. Contrary to popular belief, crystalized honey as not "gone bad" it has simply reversed the enzymes that bees introduce to keep it liquid. Honey can be re-liquified by placing the contianer in warm water, or by a few seconds in the microwave. Storing honey long-term is best done in the freezer. Freezing honey halts all chemical processes that break down enzymes and lead to crystalization.

Raw, Orgainic, Treatment-Free

Combs Honey Farm honey is Raw and Treatment free. This means the honey has been processed using simple centrifugal force, and the colonies have not been subjected to harsh chemicals and medications. This is not the same as Organic honey. In many ways, treatment-free is closer to what most people think of as Organic honey. Treatment-free is a term used and defined by beekeepers (treatment free defintion). There is no official treatment-free certification.

Organic honey is honey from colonies that have only been subjected to organic treatments and all forage comes from an organic area. Since honey bees have a forage range of up to 3 miles, this is simply not possible in 99% of the lower 48 states. There is no FDA certification for Organic Honey, nor is there a Washington state certification. It is wise to be suspicious of any honey labled as Organic.

Treatement-Free Definition

This definition of treatment-free is the result of a protracted discussion of self-described "natural, organic, etc" beekeepers on beesource.com. CHF meets and exceeds this standard. For your information, I have noted within the definition treatments that are considered organic.

Treatment-free refers to the colonies that produce the honey, not the honey itself. Treatment-free honey comes from a treatment-free colony.

Treatment: A substance introduced by the beekeeper into the hive with the intent of killing, repelling, or inhibiting a pest or disease afflicting the bees.

Treatments include but are not limited to:

  • Apiguard (thymol)
  • Mite-away II (formic acid) - organic
  • Apistan (fluvalinate)
  • Sucrocide (sucrose octanoate esters)
  • Mite-A-Thol (menthol)
  • Terramycin/Tetra-B (antibiotic)
  • Tylan (antibiotic)
  • Gardstar (permethrin)
  • Fumagilin (antibiotic)
  • Paramoth (p-dichlorobenzene)
  • Checkmite (coumaphos)
  • Oxalic Acid (dicarboxylic acid)
  • Formic Acid (carboxylic acid) - organic
  • Mineral Oil (food grade mineral oil, FGMO)
  • Sugar Dusting (sucrose) - organic
  • HBH (essential oils) - organic
  • MegaBee (diet formula)
  • Honey Bee Healthy (feeding stimulant) - organic
  • Bt Aizawai (bacteria) - organic
  • Thymol (crystals, feed, or fogging)
  • Essential oils (in general) - organic
  • Hopguard (hop oils) - organic
  • Grease patties (Crisco etc.) - potentially organic

Treatments do not include items considered to be manipulations, which include but are not limited to the following:

  • Frequent queen replacement - (CHF replaces in the second year)
  • Systematic splitting
  • Frequent replacement of comb/foundation
  • Small cell foundation
  • Drone comb removal - (Not normally practiced by CHF)
  • Screened bottom boards
  • Brood breaks

The definition of the term “treatment” also does not include feeding items such as:

  • Sugar syrup
  • Dry granulated sugar
  • High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) - (Not used by CHF)
  • Pollen substitutes