Florida honey is some of the best

Some of the world’s best honey is a byproduct of the busyness of Florida bees. Over a hundred varieties of fruits, vegetables, and trees in the state rely on pollination by bees to ensure abundant crops.

Among the best-known Florida honeys are tupelo honey from North Florida; and citrus honey from the Indian River area along the state’s mid-Atlantic coast, source of the organic Indian River oranges that I prefer for making marmalade.

The Indian River citrus belt is shrinking due to freezes, citrus diseases and pests, and urban development gobbling up agricultural land. Also, says one beekeeper, “the chemical sprays used on citrus continue to concern me about the safety of my bees. Sprays kill bees.”

Because pure citrus honey can be very strong, it is sometimes blended with other kinds of honey. If pure citrus honey is what you want, read labels with care to be sure that’s what you are getting.

Other well-known Florida honey varieties include gallberry, saw palmetto, cabbage palm, and black mangrove.

Whatever is out there

Some honey sold in the Miami area and elsewhere in Florida is simply labeled “wildflower.” This means the bees that made it gathered pollen from whatever blooming flowers and trees they happened to find in the vicinity of their hive.

Amazingly, invasive plants such as Brazilian pepper and melalecuca produce very good honey. This puts beekeepers at courteous odds with gardeners working to keep the invaders out of clients’ yards, and with custodians of the Everglades and other public lands who strive to maintain the region’s natural ecosystems.

Buy local if you can

Local honey will be made with local pollens. “Try to purchase honey collected within 50 miles of your home,” suggests Tommy Duggar, a North Florida beekeeper known for his tupelo honey. Duggar doesn’t have a Web site but checks his e-mail regularly. Beekeeper55@yahoo.com.

“If you have allergies,” Duggar says, “visit farmers’ markets and read honey labels carefully. Before you purchase, ask the beekeeper or honey vendor the general location of his bees to determine how far they are from where you live.”

A long time ago a beekeeper friend advised me to purchase my honey only from salespersons who know the origin of their honey. Some people who sell honey buy it from the beekeepers for resale and know very little about its origins.

Offshore honey

Believe it or not, some honey gets shipped half-way around the world, and sometimes inferior honey is mixed with better honey to extend the quantity of the product at the expense of its quality. All honey product containers should list the ingredients and sources of the honey. For best results, buy only 100 percent North American honey, with no added ingredients.

Also make sure that honey you buy has not been transshipped. Products with labels that claim honey from Latin America may actually be from somewhere else, such as China – a major source of inferior honey. Some Latin American countries produce very good honey, but the labeling may not clearly state whether the honey was produced in Latin America or just transshipped and repackaged there before being shipped to the U.S.

Fortunately, many supermarkets offer a good selection of 100 percent American or Canadian honey. Read labels carefully and study Web sites before purchasing honey from a supermarket. Publix and Milam’s Markets sell honey from Leighton’s, a large Florida honey producer in Haines City on U.S. Highway 27 between Miami and Orlando.

Respect hives

Never ask a beekeeper exactly where he keeps his hives. To protect them, he won’t tell you their precise location anyway. Sometimes he places his hives to produce honey. At other times, farmers hire his bees to help pollinate their crops.

If you see hives when driving in South Florida – or anywhere else, for that matter – don’t stop and approach them, and especially keep children away.

If you do approach a beehive, you’ll be trespassing, and you probably will be stung. Bees become very upset if their hive is disturbed. Africanized bees are more easily disturbed than local bees, but the casual observer won’t be able to tell the difference, so give all beehives plenty of space.