Honey, What's on your label??

100% HONEY  Oliver Ridge in Perry County, Indiana

Tom has been a beekeeper for a year now.  He and I have attended several "Bee Schools".  He takes the technical classes and I take the fun classes.  Fun as in Cooking, Wax melting,candle making, soap making, flower and garden ideas to attract bees and essential oil basics for bees.   I did take a few technical classes and found them equally as fascinating.  But here is the deal about this Beekeeping business.....I do not touch bees nor do I put on that fancy suit to participate in the technical stuff.  I am the "beekeepers wife" and I serve the beer/wine when all the work is done!

We have not processed any honey.  During the first year, we wanted to establish our colony, so they fed off of their honey during the winter months.  This year, cross our fingers hope to die stick a needle in our eye, we will have honey.

What does that entail for me?  Glad you asked!

Check out the different labels and shapes of bottles. Some plastic, some glass.  There are some that put their labels with the top of the bottle on the bottom.

I am all about the marketing!!!  There is a great deal of "technical stuff" to do before we get honey.  I'm not going to talk about that here, because I really don't know about it.  But Marketing....that excites me!!!!!!!

1. We CANNOT claim a type of honey unless we have it tested in a laboratory.  We cannot sell our honey labeled Clover, Poplar, poison ivy, wild flower, and etc. We would have to pay a lab to test it. NO honey is the same, it just depends on the environment and food source the bee had.
2. We cannot say Organic unless we are Certified Organic.  I don't feel like paying the money...but I bet our honey will be about as organic as it gets....but you didn't hear me say that!
3.  The word HONEY needs to be prominent on the bottle. Saying 100% helps!
4. We must say where our honey comes from.  So our honey will be labeled. Honey from Southern Indiana, Or Perry County, Indiana Honey, or Honey from the USA. We really want to be specific on where it is from.  You cannot just call it Local Honey.  Especially if you want to market it in a different state.  You can say Local Honey from location and state.
5. Beware of any honey that says "Bottled in ........"  It may be bottled in your home town but it may not be from local bees.  There is really nothing wrong with bottling honey from other places in the USA but it is very misleading to the public.   Bottom line  Bottled does not mean Local Honey.
6. The best selling honey is one that has RED on the label.  Go figure.  I have no clue who did this research.  Smart choice of color since it is my favorite!
7. Every one loves to buy their honey in that cute little bear! We are not going to bottle it in that cute little bear!  Sorry!
8. We must put the weight or the fluid ounces on the bottle if we sell it. It weighs more than water.
9.  Most people don't want to see a picture of a bee on their honey bottle.  I guess they don't want to know where the honey comes from.  I kind of like the idea of a cute bee on the bottle. I may or may not abide by this guideline!
10.  Just because it has a cute label doesn't mean the honey tastes good!  So, if you can, taste it! Tom and I will be working the the Kentucky State Fair Bee Exhibit in August and YOU can taste all the honey there before you purchase.  Tom was really impressed with the fair last year, and I am excited to join him this year.
11. I'm sure there are more things about labeling but the above seems simple enough to me.

Here are some pictures of labels from our local Walmart.  I would need to go to a local health food store to find "small time producers" labels. I bet they are awesome!

Cute bear, Large word Honey,USA but has a bee on it!  Would you choose this?

Cute bear, says organic, says raw, says Brazil. Brazil is a good thing.

Beautiful red label, shows a flower, but wait...Sugar free...Imitation Honey...seriously!  .

 I have played around with labels for our honey using  my Granddaughters art.  I keep coming back to putting a picture on the label...I don't know...It will be a while but will keep you all posted on what I do for a label and when we will actually have honey for sale!

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