Frequently Asked Questions

If you don't find your question addressed below, please contact us!

Help! My honey has gotten hard. Has it gone bad?

Not at all! With the exception of our squeeze bottles, all of our honeys are raw and retain all of their beautiful, and potentially healthful, properties. Raw honey naturally begins to crystallize after it is extracted from the comb. Some honey crystallizes into a creamy state that many people actually enjoy. If you prefer to restore your honey to a fully liquid state, very gently warm the jar in a pan of water on the stove to around 100°F. Read more about honey crystallization here.

Will my honey ever go bad? Do I need to refrigerate it?

No and no. Honey contains very little water, so it is difficult for bacteria to grow. In very rare instances, if the honey is too moist or water is added, natural yeast can begin to ferment the honey. There is no need to refrigerate your honey, but it is best to keep it away from heat and direct sunlight.

Can You Eat Honeycomb? 

Honeycomb or comb honey is made from beeswax and is used to hold the honey as it is brought in by the worker bees. Beeswax is produced by young worker bees from eight glands on their abdomen and is an essential product of the beehive. 

Wood and beeswax extracting combs are used each season to collect honey. Comb honey or edible honeycomb is made new by the bees each year and is cut from the wood frame instead of extracted. 

Comb honey is soft and the beeswax makes it chewy. Spread it on warm toast or eat is with some nice cheese. 

Do you offer tours of your farm and orchards? Can I buy honey or apples at the farm?

Yes! If you are interested to pick up product at the farm or organize a tour, email us at webstore@amesfarm.com.

Our main sales venues, other than online, are the Minneapolis Farmers Market on Saturday, the Mill City Farmers Market on Saturday, and the numerous retail outlets. 

 

Is your honey organic?

No, because bees will forage over long distances for nectar, it is challenging to achieve an organic certification for honey. However, the care we take in locating our bee yards near good nectar sources and away from chemical spraying we think compensates for this. All of our honeys are Grade A, 100% pure Minnesota honey.