Where do your honeys come from?
While we do produce quite a few of our own honey varietals here in Central Texas, we also rely on many of our beekeeper friends for other unique varietals. Please click here for descriptions and sources for all of our honey varietals.
Does honey have an expiration date?
NO! Honey is the only natural food that doesn't spoil. 3000 year old honey retrieved from Egyptian tombs is still unspoiled and ready for human consumption! However, if exposed to air and moisture honey may collect yeast and begin to ferment.
Why is my honey crystallizing (‘granulating’ or ‘sugaring’)?
Honey crystallizes in the beehive. Our honey crystallizes more rapidly because we minimally strain it and do not subject it to high levels of processing and filtration. Large industrial honey packers heat honey to a very high temperature to pasteurize it and then extract all of the naturally occurring pollen and other nutrients leaving only fructose and glucose--the original sugar molecules of honey. This excessive processing causes honey to unnaturally remain liquid for many months or even years. As such, processed honey is best understood as a product derived from pure honey much like fat free milk is a by-product derived from whole milk.
Is my honey still good if it starts to crystallize?
Yes! This is a natural process of honey in the hive. Crystallized honey can be enjoyed as a spread or warmed slowly until it returns to a liquid.
What do I do if my honey crystallizes?
If you prefer your honey to be in the liquid state you may warm it slowly by filling a crockpot with water and setting it on low for a few hours. This will gently warm it and with a few shakes of the jar to make sure it all returns to solution you'll be good to go. (Only do this if your honey is in a glass container.)
Why does your label warn against feeding honey to children under the age of one?
Honey--as well as Apples, Bananas, Pears, Carrots, etc.--may expose children to infant botulism (not the same as adult botulism). There is no recorded incident of a child over the age of 5 months having been thought to contract infant botulism from honey. We err on the side of safety and use one year as the safe period for infants to avoid honey. (It's lawyer language!)
Is your honey raw?
Yes! All Walker Honey is unprocessed and raw. Straight from the hive to the jar . . . with just a little warming and straining!
Why does your label not say ‘Raw Honey’?
Our honey is absolutely raw by definition. Our honey is never pasteurized and never filtered. We just think the USDA definition of raw is a little too inclusive. It should restrict heat and define what "filtering" means. We would rather tell you how we handle it than have a poorly defined word speak for us. We invite you to come to our monthly “Bee to Bottle” tour and see for yourself how we treat your honey.
Is your honey “cooked”?
NO! We warm our honey only enough to strain the beeswax from it. We do this at low temperatures that do not harm the naturally occurring enzymes, yeasts, phytonutrients, or pollen.
Do you filter honey?
We strain our honey at 50 microns--about cheesecloth consistency--to remove any pieces of wax that fell into solution during the extracting process. We do not take anything out that nature put in the honey!
Why is your honey different from other grocery store honeys?
Grocery store honey is processed at high temperatures--pasteurized!--and filtered as low as 5 microns. No pollen survives this process. All yeast and enzymes are destroyed and removed. This is done so that honey can be warehoused, shipped, and shelved for long periods of time without crystallizing. You can taste the difference between honey like ours that has all of the pollen still packed in it and the stripped skeleton of honey in the mass-produced jars.
Do you attend any Farmers Markets?
We currently do not attend any Farmers Markets. We do, however, host our own Farmers Market twice a year on Memorial Day and again on the second Saturday in October. For more information on our semiannual Farmers Market please visit our site here.
Where can I purchase your honey and other honey products?
We sell and distribute honey throughout Central and South Texas. We do not post a list of retail sites where you can buy Walker Honey. We encourage you to get to know your local beekeeper. Ask questions. Buy locally, when you can.
Can I sample the different types of honey you offer?
Yes! Here in our Farm Store we offer samples for every honey we sell. We usually have ten or more distinct honey varietals.
I have bees on my property, do you take bees?
We appreciate you offering bees to us. There is definitely a shortage of honey bees and native bees and pollinators. However, it is not cost effective for us to remove bees and stock our hives with them. If the bees are not bothering you or your animals, then we hope you will leave them in their natural state. If they are a nuisance or a danger then we encourage you to seek a bee removal specialist. To read more about Texas bee removal and who to contact visit our Texas Bee Removal page.
Do you sell bees?
We do! Click here to see the seasonal bee purchase information.
Do you sell beekeeping equipment?
Yes, we have limited beekeeping supplies at Walker Honey Farm Store such as veils, gloves, smokers, hive tools, bee helmets, etc. We also sell some new and used bee boxes, frames, foundation, etc. at our production facility. For bee equipment contact info@walkerhoneyfarm.com.
Do you have tours?
Yes, join us on the first Saturday of each month as we take guests on our “Bee-to-Bottle” Farm Tour. Click here for more information on pricing and reservations.