About Five Acres Honey Farm
Natural beekeeping
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Tara Lynne Groth
Journeyman Beekeeper & Permaculture Designer
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My North Carolina honey farm
Five Acres Honey Farm is the only Certified Naturally Grown (CNG) apiary within 100 miles of Raleigh, NC.
About CNG
Certified Naturally Grown is a national accreditation known as “the grassroots alternative to certified organic.” CNG apiaries are inspected annually and recognized for using natural beekeeping practices without synthetic chemicals, antibiotics, or GMOs. I'm a Senior Remote Apiary Inspector for CNG and virtually inspect hives across the country to ensure they meet CNG's chemical-free standards.
Certified Naturally Grown is a national accreditation known as “the grassroots alternative to certified organic.” CNG apiaries are inspected annually and recognized for using natural beekeeping practices without synthetic chemicals, antibiotics, or GMOs. I'm a Senior Remote Apiary Inspector for CNG and virtually inspect hives across the country to ensure they meet CNG's chemical-free standards.
Why I choose to be CNG
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CNG standards place honey bee health as the top priority.
Honey production, beeswax processing, propolis and pollen harvesting, and commercial pollinating services are not primary goals of Five Acres Honey Farm. |
Hives build their colonies on “fresh” comb.
CNG requires that 20 percent of all frames are removed annually, which means no hive has comb that’s more than 5 years old. Old comb could harbor pests, mold, and spores that could risk the hive’s health over time. |
Regular hive inspections help to monitor and support healthy colonies.
During peak seasons, Five Acres Honey Farm inspects each hive every 5-7 days. This helps prevent swarms, provide the colony the space it needs, identify and treat pests, and ensure every hive has adequate food to support its size. |
Five Acres Honey Farm became a Certified Wildlife Habitat® in 2018.
About Certified Wildlife Habitats®
The National Wildlife Federation’s Certified Wildlife Habitats are areas dedicated to providing food, water, cover, places to raise young, and sustainable practices for wildlife.
Food. Five Acres Honey Farm regularly adds nectar-producing plants and trees, nut- and fruit-bearing plants, and pollen sources. I added an apple orchard in 2020.
Water. In addition to a natural vernal creek that runs through the property, I installed a pond for the bees.
Cover and places to raise young. Beyond rock piles, naturally wooded areas, and a meadow, we continue to add shelters such as an owl house, bee hotel for native pollinators, birdhouses, and a bat house. We minimally harvest trees for firewood and prefer to leave fallen trees for insects and animals.
Sustainable practices. In addition to two compost piles, we try to manage most of our food waste through vermiculture. A worm bin allows us to produce nutrient-rich and chemical-free compost. We also practice Integrated Pest Management and seek to add native plants whenever possible.
The National Wildlife Federation’s Certified Wildlife Habitats are areas dedicated to providing food, water, cover, places to raise young, and sustainable practices for wildlife.
Food. Five Acres Honey Farm regularly adds nectar-producing plants and trees, nut- and fruit-bearing plants, and pollen sources. I added an apple orchard in 2020.
Water. In addition to a natural vernal creek that runs through the property, I installed a pond for the bees.
Cover and places to raise young. Beyond rock piles, naturally wooded areas, and a meadow, we continue to add shelters such as an owl house, bee hotel for native pollinators, birdhouses, and a bat house. We minimally harvest trees for firewood and prefer to leave fallen trees for insects and animals.
Sustainable practices. In addition to two compost piles, we try to manage most of our food waste through vermiculture. A worm bin allows us to produce nutrient-rich and chemical-free compost. We also practice Integrated Pest Management and seek to add native plants whenever possible.