Is this honey from your hives?

Yes! Sugar Mamas Honey from the Valley comes from bees I manage, all over Taos County: Cañon, des Montes, El Prado, Taos and Lower Ranchitos, and in Velarde, too. These are current and historic lands of Tewa people.

I offer another source of honey, as well - this is called "Honey From a Friend" and comes from a friend’s multi-generational beekeeping family in Southern Colorado. …their dad made all their beehives and they’ve been using them for decades. It’s a real treat to visit.

Why is your honey special?

Sugar Mamas Honey from the Valley is very unique! We begin the pollinating season by placing treatment-free hives in certified organic orchards along the Upper Rio Grande in Velarde, NM.
The same family has been managing these orchards in Tewa territory for 16 generations.

Once the pollination is complete, in the dead of night, the bees are relocated for their second round of Spring in Taos County in various locations. This ensures a diverse flavor profile and gives the bees more opportunities to forage for a longer period of time.

This honey is unfiltered and raw. Unfiltered and raw means that minimal (if any) heat is used during extraction and bottling, and it is poured only through a strainer, not a filter. This [minimal] processing leaves health-supporting enzymes intact and local pollens inside.

If your honey is so good, why sell someone else's, too?

I made a vow to the bees that I would never take "too much" honey from them. But, as I am a small-time hobby beekeeper, I cannot always keep up with the local demand for honey. So, I purchase the best honey I can find from my friend's local family honey farm. Because they beekeep just over the New Mexico border, their honey is from a very similar bioregion, and still local.

Folks looking for a similar pollen profile to the Taos region at a more economical price will find this to be the best option.

Will this honey “cure” my allergies?

I’m not a doctor nor a scientist (I don’t even play one on TV), and I don’t claim that local pollen cures allergies. In my opinion, this could present as a biased claim to sell you more honey.

Almost half of my customers buy my local honey to treat their environmental allergies. They swear by this folk remedy, and it does appear to help some people. There is plenty of anecdotal evidence out there that purports this notion. Personally, I think it is worth trying holistic, locally-derived solutions whenever possible.

If you are buying raw honey to treat your allergies, be sure to ingest the honey in its raw state. To this end, do not bake it, and if adding to a hot beverage, wait for the drink to cool a bit before adding your honey. Honey is considered raw when kept below 110-120 degrees. Exceeding this temperature range can degrade the naturally occurring enzymes and cook the pollen, rendering it useless toward the treatment of allergies.

Do you sell pollen?

“Yes,” but not as a separate product. Sugar Mamas Honey is unfiltered (and raw). This means that the honey contains a bunch of local pollens, as well as wax, propolis, and bee particles.

Why don’t you sell pollen as a separate entity?

In order for humans to collect this substance, bees pass through a pollen comb which collects it from their body as they re-enter their hive. Pollen is the only form of protein that bees collect. Long story short, it is imperative that bees have their pollen stores throughout the year, but especially through the winter, as this aids in the health of the colony.

If the bees are stripped of their collected pollens, they will go out for more, continuously, until the dearth. This is a tremendous effort. Bees work themselves to death, by natural design. Is it ethical to force them to work harder?

It is my belief that they do not collect honey nor pollen for humans, and that if I should take their surplus honey, the least I can do is leave them their pollen stores without demanding that they work harder.

Additional info here: carolinahoneybees.com/why-pollen-is-vital-for-honeybee-survival/

What kind of pollen is found in the honey you sell?

Despite being located in the desert, we live in a very biodiverse region with tons of flowering plants - so our honey contains a vast variety of pollens!

To name a few:

Apricot, dandelion, plum, apple, capulín (chokecherry), alfalfa, red clover, yellow clover, cottonwood, pine, wildflowers including chamisa.

Do you feed your bees sugar water to supplement the honey you take?

Never!

There is no good substitute for honey.

The bees know what they need, and their natural products of propolis, honey, and pollen are the complete foods and antibiotic sources necessary for their survival. I err on the side of caution and make sure the bees have a proper store of honey to get them through the winter. If they eat much of their stores before the Spring nectar flow, I supplement honey back to them.

Is your honey organic?

As organic as honey can be, which is a little bit of a misnomer.

Because bees do not live in an environmental “vacuum”, I argue that it is nigh impossible to claim that any honey is totally organic, as we can't be sure where the little buggers have gone throughout their days.

I place my hives in certified organic orchards as well as pesticide-free locations. I make every effort to place the bees in places where there are no known poisons.

Do you ship your products?

Nope, just local pick-up.

Please visit the Questa Farmers Market on Sundays from May to October.

How long have you been beekeeping?

I have been beekeeping for about six years, in and around the Taos Valley.

Don’t you get stung?

Oh, yes.

Isn’t that scary?

Sometimes.

Why aren’t you wearing beekeeping protection in some of your photos?

I assess the risk of each beekeeping activity I engage in. There are certain instances when the bees are active but calm, and these are the times you see me without protective gear. (The moments that require the most protection are generally the least-photographed instances.)

Can you teach me how to beekeep?

I am honored to share with you what I am learning through my online platforms, but as of right now I am not offering any instruction. If you reach out, I may be able to connect you with local resources who have upcoming classes.

I want to start beekeeping. Where can I get bees?

Obtaining bees through “nucs” or packages at the beginning of Spring is a good way for the average beginner. Stay tuned for announcements regarding Springtime package purchases by following my IG profile.

There are several purchase options locally each year, depending on the time you wish to purchase. Feel free to send me an email with a request any time between Spring and Fall, as I may know someone selling a hive or two.

You can also search online for mail order bees, including queens. I recommend Zia Queenbees by Melanie Kirby in New Mexico, and BeeWeaver in Texas.

Want to know where the proceeds from the honey sales go?
Click through to our Transparency Statement here.