The smell of honey from the south lawn of the White House sets an example for organic agriculture

November 5, 9:29 AMTampa Bay Sustainable Agriculture ExaminerRobin Montanye

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Honey bee feeding on nectar

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Just outside of First Lady Michelle Obama's kitchen vegetable garden is the White House's first organic beehive. Beekeeper Charlie Brandts is in charge of the official bees of the White House and the organic honey production.

Issues Facing a White House Beekeeper

In a video released by The New York Times, Mr. Brandts says that one of issues that faces a White House beekeeper is protecting it from local air traffic. When Air Force One is taking off or landing he needs to make sure the official White House bee brick is holding down the hive.  One of the other challenges that the official beekeeper must face is that he needs to be sure to notify the Secret Service every time he needs to smoke the hive. Smoking the hive occurs when a handler needs to slow down the production of the bees during any time that the handler needs to move or handle the hive.

The White House Organic Honey Production

The White House bees thrive on the blooms from the National Mall which contribute to the changing taste of the White House honey. Mr. Brandts says that the aroma and the taste of the honey changes with each season, reflecting the blooms that are available at that time. This is the third harvest of honey for this hive and currently, the honey is in a basswood flow with hints of clover according to Mr. Brandts. During the first harvest, 42 pounds of honey was extracted; 43 pounds during the second harvest and it was predicted that about 35 pounds was taken during this last harvest.

Where Does all the Honey Go?

After extraction and filtering, the all-natural honey at the White House will be allowed to rest for about a week before being put into jars and put to work in the White House kitchen. First Lady Michell Obama will also present jars to spouses of world leaders and school children that visit the white house.

The New York Times video entitled From the South Lawn a Sweet Smell of Honey was produced by Elisabeth Goodridge/The New York Times; photos by Doug Mills/The New York Times.