Gentle Bee Apiaries is the newest member of the GFG natural family. Located in Verona, Virginia, Gentle Bee Apiaries has over 600 local hives and is looking to expand to 800 in the near future.
They pride themselves on how they treat their bees. In regards to hive health, their owner tells us that they use organic oxalic in a vapor form to treat for varroa mites, a parasite this is know to kill bees. After 48 hours, there is not trace and the vapor does not effect the wax or the honey. Naturally, honey contains 1 to 2% of oxalic acid which is part of the natural process that helps cure the nectar into honey. They also give their bees minerals and vitamins to help boost their nutrition during the cold months.
During those winter months, they do leave honey for the bees and plain sugar, with no high fructose corn syrup. The bees also get some lemon juice to clean them out during the winter time.
Not only does Gentle Bee Apiaries produce delicious honey, they also produce creamed honey which is made with light wildflower honey. The lighter honey has a higher sugar content. Light wildflower is a mix of Autumn olive, Clover, Blackberry, Raspberry, Black Locus, Thistle, Knapweed, and Alfalfa. They’ve won countless awards on the east coast for their creamed honey. They use organic non GMO freeze dried fruit to flavor them.
Their honey is warmed, using a double water jacketed setup, to around 95 degrees in a slow process that is also done to bottle the honey faster. It is strained through strainers and not through filters so as not to strip the honey of healing properties.
Check out their display on your next visit and try their many flavors of creamed honey!