About Us
Fern hill apiary is...
locally-owned and family-operated. Hobbyist beekeepers, we have been keeping bees on our property in Marshall, Virginia since Spring of 2004. Starting with just three hives, we have grown every year, now annually maintain 12-15 colonies. Our property and our hives are managed using invertebrate pest management (no chemicals).
All of our honey products and the majority of our wax products are sourced solely by our bees. A true family affair, we take great care and pride in caring for our bees as well as in preparing and presenting our products.
We look forward to sharing our products with your family.
Benefits of local honey
According to the National Honey Board (www.honey.com), "research has shown that unlike most other sweeteners, honey contains small amounts of a wide array of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants. Honey, a rich source of carbohydrates, provides a quick source of energy.
Honey's unique composition makes it an effective anti-microbial agent, useful for treating minor burns and scrapes, and for aiding the treatment of sore throats and other bacterial infections."
Honey has also been known to help reduce suffering from seasonal allergies. The recommended treatment is 1 tsp/day for 30 days before the onset of the bloom period of the offending plant.
Our products...
Our wildflower honey is made from a variety of trees and plants in our region and is completely raw, preserving all of the beneficial properties of honey. Our honey is not heated or blended in any way, so you enjoy the best that the bees have to offer. Because it is not pasteurized, the National Honey Board advises against giving raw honey to children under one year old.
With the exception of our rolled candles and wax blocks, our wax products are made solely with wax from our hives. Beeswax has a higher melting point than other waxes (burns longer), is smokeless and dripless, and has a wonderful fresh, natural aroma. The color variations are completely natural, no additives have been used.
Availability of our products may vary by season and time of year; please contact us to be sure we have what you're looking for. Current pricing can be found here.
How our honey is produced
Once our bees have collected nectar, stored it in the cells within the hive, reduced the moisture to the proper amount and capped it with wax for long-term storage, it's ready for us to harvest any surplus stores. The frames are put into an extractor, the honey is spun out of the frames and drained into a bucket. After filtering multiple times to remove 'bees knees' and wax pieces, it's bottled - ready for you to enjoy this pure and simple treat.
Preserving your honey
Raw honey needs no refrigeration and does not go bad, provided it is kept in an air-tight container. Microwaving honey destroys the beneficial properties, and is therefore not recommended. Should your honey become solid (granulating is a natural aging process of raw honey), you may re-liquify it by setting it in a hot water bath overnight. This process may be repeated if necessary.
How to order...
Visit us at the farmers market or order using our online order form.
Thank you for supporting a small, family-owned, local business.