Local honey

[Ruth Lafler]

I thought it might be nice to have a thread to aggregate comments on local honey. By local I mean it should fit the geographical parameters of this board, i.e. the nine Bay Area counties.

I was prompted to do this by some honey I bought this afternoon. Understand, I don't need honey. I have lots of honey. But the produce stand outside Half Moon Bay where I was buying peas had quite a few varietal and local honeys, and I couldn't resist.

Montara Meadows wildflower honey. This is a really pretty reddish dark amber. It's very strong and complex, with almost molasses-like notes. Nice article about the beekeeper, too: http://www.hmbreview.com/community/ar...

[12172003]

Morganic Hill goes to the Mountain View Farmers Market every Sunday. Overall, I find theirs the best I've had. Meadowfoam has a marshmellow flavor that many people go bonkers over. The MTV farmers market also has some other vendors that show up that don't specialize in honey.

At random times Bee Happy Honey shows up at the corner of 84 and Skyline in Skylonda. This is the info I have on them:
Wayne & Dillon - owners. +1.650.592.1727 or +1.650.302.0623
orange, thistle, blackberry, wildflower, sage, lavender, clover

There's a someone on the northside of the road in Woodside on Woodside Rd just south/west of Woodside. IIRC, practically across the street from school. A few times they just left jars of honey on a table with a jar to leave your money. While not the best honey it can't get that much more local.

And on 92 maybe a few miles from Half Moon Bay is a place on the north side selling veggies and fruits that have a number of very good honeys. No idea the name.

[Ruth Lafler]

Yes, the peninsula seems to be rife with local honey producers. I know the "no-name" place you mention, although I can't remember if I've bought honey from them. I've also been tempted by the "local honey" someone mentioned above at the junction of 92 and Skyline Blvd. I probably already have a two-year supply of honey at home, so it's hard to justify buying more .... especially since I don't want to pass up opportunities to bring home local honey as souvenirs from my travels (right now I have at least two honeys I brought back from Italy, one I brought back from Argentina, one (of the two -- the coffee blossom honey didn't last long!) I brought back from Hawaii and one I brought back from England from the village where my aunt lives).

[saffrongold]

I like the Star Thistle honey from Jan C. Snyders farm in La Honda. They also have fresh grape leaves, lemon verbena and pineapple guava at different times of the year.

[takuhead]

Jim Talboy's honey - all local from various areas around the bay - some are even from my neighborhood - I host a hive for him...nothing closer than that....

He sells at the Menlo Park Farmer's Market and also at the Berkeley one as well. I could ask to see where else he goes to - but those two he goes to at least once a month - truly raw and unfiltered.

Jim also has honey from the Matole Valley - really dark and deep flavor...

I like Filoli's honey too - but they do heat it a bit - otherwise it would crystallize during the winter...
tastes very mild and sweet

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Filoli
86 Canada Rd, Woodside, CA

[Ruth Lafler]

I've tried some honeys from Snyders -- I like the tanbark oak.

[saffrongold]

I was trying to think of the name of that honey, I thought it had the word "tar" in it. I find it to be very strong and not like any other honey, which is not to say I dislike it..

[gmk1322]

I love, and I mean LOVE Marshall Farm Honey in American Canyon! Awesome variety with depth of flavor and they have hives throughout the bay area. I mean if Thomas Keller uses it that is recommendation enough.

[bbulkow]

There was a sign for local honey at the intersection of route 92 and skyline blvd. There's a dirt turnoff on the north side by the entrance to the chapel of the chimes. I did not stop and enter.

[eclecticsynergy]

I've been told that eating local honey can ease hay fever symptoms. It contains the pollens that hayfever sufferers are reacting to.

[Ruth Lafler]

That's the claim. It certainly can't hurt! Of course if you're doing that then you don't want a single-source honey. Marshall's has blends from different parts of the Bay Area if you really want to pinpoint your local pollen sources.

[lrealml]

I love Branches Blackberry honey; I eat it with yogurt and fruit. I believe that it is local, but it is hard to tell where they actually gather this particular honey from... The producer, Katz (I love their vinegars too) is located in Napa, but they have some ranches/farms outside of the Bay Area as well.

[Caitlin McGrath]

I've seen their honey, though perhaps not all varieties, at Berkeley Bowl (Oregon store) at some point.

Speaking of blackberry blossom honey, I do like the one Berkeley Bowl sells in bulk containers, though I don't know where in California it is sourced.

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Berkeley Bowl
2020 Oregon St, Berkeley, CA 94703

[Melanie Wong]

Maybe Gipson's Golden of Santa Rosa? I've seen it in bulk at various grocers.
http://www.gipsonsgolden.com

[Caitlin McGrath]

I'll try to remember to ask next time I'm there, as there isn't a sign or label as there is with some of the other local goods sold in bulk.

[YSZ]

Great topic!

The honey sold by Filoli is delicious. Light and floral, very fragrant. I believe it comes from their hives on the estate. You can buy it in their gift store and cafe. It is one of our go-to gifts during the holidays.

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Filoli
86 Canada Rd, Woodside, CA