We all want it right? Local honey I mean, but what is local? Well if you ask the USDA, then local means “a food product traveling less than 400 miles or from within the state where it's sold.” Depending on where you live 400 miles could encompass largely different biomes and bee forage. Within the same state as mentioned above is great, but what if you’re from a huge state? It’s not all apples to apples.
I would urge folks to consider local, in terms of honey, as floral regions rather than state boundaries. After all, a plant doesn’t recognize state boundaries. A plant does however recognize climate and growing conditions. That being said, it’s amazing how different one keeper’s honey can turn out from another even in the same town as those different groups of bees even only miles away from each other may have foraged on vastly different sources. In the grand scheme of things, however, I’d like to share a great resource by NASA: The Honey Bee Forage Map. This is an interactive map breaking down floral regions across the US and Canada. Clicking on your region will further provide major and minor nectar sources and when those sources occur. Knowing the plants in your area is crucial as a beekeeper, as everything comes down to timing. Trying to keep bees without understanding the plants around you is a recipe for disaster in my opinion. A beekeeper needs to know the bees AND the plants. As the consumer, if you want local, it’s best to know the beekeeper. Otherwise, without being able to trust the source, it’s just a word on a label.
