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REAL HONEST HONEY
Honey is seasonal and, sadly, it is becoming
one of the most adulterated food items in
South Africa. Cheap imports and creative
versions of honey are on the increase and
it is very difficult, if not impossible, to tell
the difference between natural honey and
man-made honey. Ethical beekeepers and
honey bee farmers simply cannot compete
with adulterated honey prices. So how do
we address this? How do we support the
honest, hard-working honey bee farmer
and how do we know which is real honey?
I have spent a long time trying to
address these questions with a value
proposition which delivers premium raw
honey, protects our honey bees through
education and support our beekeepers
by paying fair prices for real honey. The
best guidance I can give is that you need
to know where your honey comes from.
Ask questions about the honey extraction
process, apiary location, type of foraging
and who the beekeeper is. Be prepared
to pay a fair price for real honey. Keep in
mind that no two honeys are the same.
The nutritional properties of honey
along with the colour, aroma and flavour
is determined by the type of foraging,
weather patterns and the type and quality It takes 12 honey bees their entire life’s please email natasha@lyonfamilysa.com
of soil in which the flowering plants and work to produce 1 teaspoon of honey; ,SABIO member, Southern’s Beekeeping
trees grow. surely a reason to savour every sacred Association member, training steward
drop! - Honey Judge Guild of SA. For more
South Africa is well known for our amazing information on World Bee Day visit LSA
selection of honeys, believed to be some For further information relating to honey www.worldbeeday.org.
of the best tasting in the world. bee talks and private honey tastings,

36 Landscape SA • Issue 93 2020