Frequently Asked Questions
Please reach us at orders-help@FernHillApiary.com if you cannot find an answer to your question.
Unfortunately, we do not. We are small, family-owned, hobbyist beekeepers that do not produce enough honey to support bulk or wholesale options.
Local honey is considered anything produced within 50 miles of your location. The closer the better, of course, as the honey produced closer to home is more likely to contains bits of pollen and nectar from plants that occur near you. Our honey is produced in Marshall VA, solely from our colonies.
Fern Hill Apiary honey is completely raw. Often times the terms raw and pure are used synonymously, but there is a difference. Raw honey is minimally processed (to remove debris), contains only honey, and is not heated in any way.
At this time, we are not entertaining offers to house colonies on property we do not own. We appreciate the opportunity and interest in housing colonies at nearby locations but have found over the years that we are able to tend to the colonies more readily when they are under our watchful eye at home. We are more easily able to recognize if there is an issue that needs attention when the colonies are close-by.
If you have a bee colony that has taken residence in the walls of your home or other structure on your property, we, unfortunately, do not offer removal services. However, we do have a list of other area beekeepers who do/may be able to assist you. Please see the Bee Removal information on our Swarms Info page for further.
Beekeeping is a fascinating hobby with a steep learning curve. The best way to get started in beekeeping is to join a local bee club and take a beginner beekeeping class. These classes begin in February each year and fill up quickly. You will have the opportunity to meet other students, acquire a mentor, and order package/nuc bees through the class - starting you off on the right foot as you begin learning (and keeping) these amazing creatures.
This is a common question that is best answered with the number of colonies that we manage. Currently we usually maintain between 10-25 colonies depending on the time of year. Each colony's population will also change throughout the year ranging from as few as a couple thousand bees during winter to approximately 80,000 during peak summer months.
Oxford Dictionary states that honey is "a sticky yellowish-brown fluid made by bees... from nectar collected from flowers." However, honey can easily be adulterated by feeding/offering bees high fructose corn syrup which results in a similar product but is not 'true honey'. Be sure to ask your keeper if they keep feeders on the colonies during a nectar flow (when flowers are in bloom); if they do the product they're selling is likely not pure honey.
Honey made in Marshall, VA (e.g., ours) is completely sourced from hives we manage. If you read a label that says "bottled in" that does not mean that the honey came from any local apiary to the location listed; it could be a mixture of several sources with unclear origins (to the consumer). Our recommendation - even if you don't get your honey from us, know your beekeeper and ask questions about how they manage their colonies and harvest their honey.
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Swarm Season is here...
If you have a "ball of bees" that's shown up uninvited, please contact us.
Complete our Swarm Collection Request Form and we'll be in touch ASAP to make arrangements to come get them. (Click here to learn more about swarms.)