Farmington · Honey
Honey War Bee Company
Honey War Bee Company is a small, treatment-free apiary in Farmington, Iowa. Their bees forage the same hardwood-forested hills and wildflower creek bottoms as the feral bees that gave the Honey War its name. They produce raw, unfiltered honey with no antibiotics, no miticides, and without heating the honey above room temperature.
- Location
- Farmington, IA
- Phone
- 319-470-8674
- Site
- honeywarbee.com
What they do
Honey War Bee is a small honey producer based in Farmington. They sell raw, unfiltered wildflower honey from treatment-free colonies (no antibiotics or miticides in the hives). They also sell sections of honeycomb, a wide variety of creamed honey in different flavors, and beeswax candles, and sticks of lip balm.
You can usually find them at farmers markets in Cedar Rapids or Iowa City. They're a fun bunch; friendly and talkative, eager to answer your questions about their products. Contact them to confirm which market is next or to arrange a pickup.
Good to know
- Raw, unfiltered, treatment-free honey
- Located in Farmington, but travel to the Corridor quite often
The name comes from the 1839 "Honey War" — a bloodless border dispute between Missouri and the Iowa Territory. Missouri tax collectors, rebuffed by pitchfork-wielding settlers who refused to pay, cut down some bee trees in what's now Van Buren County and hauled the honey back across the line in lieu of taxes. Both sides called out their militias, faced each other, but never ended up firing a shot.
On a personal note
This family project is doing it the right way; they keep the honey raw instead of heating it. Heat damages the beneficial properties of the honey, destroying antibacterial, digestive, and antioxidant properties. They also don’t treat their hives. That way chemical miticides don’t accumulate in the beeswax or honey you’re consuming. It also avoids interfering with the queen’s longevity or fertility and doesn’t contribute to treatment-resistant mites. Additionally, while some of their products are packaged in plastic, I do like that I’m able to get my bulk quantities in a large glass jar. It’s important to understand that this honey is from one simple, local source. What you buy at most stores is often a blend from multiple different countries and regions. Approximately 73% of honey consumed in the United States is imported, with India, Argentina, Brazil, and Vietnam supplying around 79% of those imports. If you're wanting some pure honey, catch them at the next market or try reaching out directly.
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