Honey in Western North Carolina and Chatham County, North Carolina
2026 HONEY SALES HAVE CLOSED
Thanks for a record-breaking honey harvest season. I sold out in less than 10 hours! Although I've sold out of honey, I've reserved a few jars to sell Friday, August 7 and Saturday, August 8 in Fontana Village, NC. Visit ChathamCNC's booth at the 30th Annual Miatas at the Gap.
Western North Carolina honey near Fontana Lake
This year’s honey from Robbinsville, North Carolina is Sweetwater Summer. I added honey supers on the hives the very first week of summer, so this honey is sourced only from what the bees gathered this season. Sweetwater Summer has a marshmallow mouthfeel with a butterscotch envelope. This year's harvest is more fluid than previous years. It's dark and dreamy. My husband feels it has a hint of spice--think a dust of cinnamon. Sweetwater Summer has been tested for glyphosate (commercially known as the weed killer Round Up) and no glyphosate was detected. This year I entered my mountain honey in the North Carolina State Beekeepers Black Jar Honey Contest--a unique competition that bases winners exclusively on flavor and no other traits--and my mountain honey won 2nd Place. "Sweetwater" is a long-time term around Graham County where the bees reside. North Carolina’s forthcoming first-ever wildlife land bridge (PDF) is slated to open later this year. It will provide a safe passage for wildlife and Appalachian Trail hikers to cross Sweetwater Road, also known as NC-143. The land bridge is 2 miles as the crow flies from the hives.
This year's honey from Pittsboro, North Carolina is Circle City Spring. I removed honey frames in the middle of May, which means the harvest is only from spring blooms. Circle City Spring is one of the lightest harvests I've seen here. It has a grassy fragrance and has a golden raisin-apricot jamminess. It's thicker and slower to slip off the spoon than the mountain harvest. North Carolina experienced a severe drought this year and it greatly impacted forage. This year's Pittsboro harvest is incredibly small and extra special. Due to the small size of the harvest, I didn't test this batch for glyphosate. Pittsboro is known as "The Circle City" thanks to our historic courthouse circle in the center of town. ICYMI years ago, my next door neighbor created the PBS documentary about the historic courthouse fire and reconstruction.
The order form also includes a book-and-honey bundle. My first story collection ROSE WINDOW released 1 year ago.
This year's honey from Pittsboro, North Carolina is Circle City Spring. I removed honey frames in the middle of May, which means the harvest is only from spring blooms. Circle City Spring is one of the lightest harvests I've seen here. It has a grassy fragrance and has a golden raisin-apricot jamminess. It's thicker and slower to slip off the spoon than the mountain harvest. North Carolina experienced a severe drought this year and it greatly impacted forage. This year's Pittsboro harvest is incredibly small and extra special. Due to the small size of the harvest, I didn't test this batch for glyphosate. Pittsboro is known as "The Circle City" thanks to our historic courthouse circle in the center of town. ICYMI years ago, my next door neighbor created the PBS documentary about the historic courthouse fire and reconstruction.
The order form also includes a book-and-honey bundle. My first story collection ROSE WINDOW released 1 year ago.
Glyphosate-free honey
I tested my mountain honey with a home test kit and no glyphosate was detected. Glyphosate is broadly known as the weed killer Round Up. The kit came with 2 tests, which I had hoped to use for each harvest. The first test was invalid/void. (The control line never appeared.) When I used the second test on the same honey, it worked.
Honey order status over the years
2026: Honey sold out in less than 10 hours. This year a portion of all earnings will be donated to the Honey Bee Health Coalition. They promote on-farm practices and policies to encourage a diverse and nutrition pollinator diet.
2025: All my colonies survived winter. As of May 27, Pittsboro honey SOLD OUT in less than 12 hours. As of July 30, WNC mountain honey orders sold out in less than 36 hours. Each year I donate to a different organization. This year I'll donate 10% of all sales to the American Farmland Trust (AFT). Our country, and North Carolina, are losing a devastating amount of farmland. This loss hits very close to home. A gorgeous 440-acre farm adjacent to our street will be turned into 1,200+ homes over the next few years. AFT helps to protect and steward farms across the country.
2024: This was a record-breaking year with honey production and demand. Mountain honey sold out in 2 hours and Pittsboro honey sold out in 12 hours! 10% of all sales were donated to the Rodale Institute, which helps support regenerative agriculture.
2023: Thank you for your support. Honey sold out in less than 72 hours! I donated 10% of all sales to the Xerces Society, a science-based nonprofit that protects wildlife.
2022: I bottled the 5-year anniversary edition of Chatham Blossoms and the inaugural harvest of Nantahala Nectar. 10% of all sales were donated to the Pollinator Partnership, the largest organization in the world protecting pollinators.
2021: Small harvest for friends and family only.
2020: No harvest.
2019: Sold out before I bottled.
2018: Small harvest for friends and family only.
2017: First hive established. No harvest.
2026: Honey sold out in less than 10 hours. This year a portion of all earnings will be donated to the Honey Bee Health Coalition. They promote on-farm practices and policies to encourage a diverse and nutrition pollinator diet.
2025: All my colonies survived winter. As of May 27, Pittsboro honey SOLD OUT in less than 12 hours. As of July 30, WNC mountain honey orders sold out in less than 36 hours. Each year I donate to a different organization. This year I'll donate 10% of all sales to the American Farmland Trust (AFT). Our country, and North Carolina, are losing a devastating amount of farmland. This loss hits very close to home. A gorgeous 440-acre farm adjacent to our street will be turned into 1,200+ homes over the next few years. AFT helps to protect and steward farms across the country.
2024: This was a record-breaking year with honey production and demand. Mountain honey sold out in 2 hours and Pittsboro honey sold out in 12 hours! 10% of all sales were donated to the Rodale Institute, which helps support regenerative agriculture.
2023: Thank you for your support. Honey sold out in less than 72 hours! I donated 10% of all sales to the Xerces Society, a science-based nonprofit that protects wildlife.
2022: I bottled the 5-year anniversary edition of Chatham Blossoms and the inaugural harvest of Nantahala Nectar. 10% of all sales were donated to the Pollinator Partnership, the largest organization in the world protecting pollinators.
2021: Small harvest for friends and family only.
2020: No harvest.
2019: Sold out before I bottled.
2018: Small harvest for friends and family only.
2017: First hive established. No harvest.
Special event honey favor requests get priority.
I only reserve bottles for special events. Contact me to reserve honey for wedding favors, bridal and baby shower favors, unique business referral gifts, graduations, retirements, and any special occasion. I also design custom labels.
Propolis and beeswaxI'll have my next propolis harvest available in the fall along with my first offering of beeswax.
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Raw propolis was available for the first time.
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What folks say about my honey
Your honey is out-of-this-world delicious! We are very privileged to have some. I can't wait to share your honey with family.
"I'm super excited to tell you that your honey is one-of-a-kind! It was super light, very aromatic, and the taste was delicious. It was almost like tasting flowers! It's a beautiful experience. I'm excited to make a few home recipes soon."
"Thanks for the awesome honey."
"Thanks for the awesome honey."
I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to get jars this year! It's truly as precious as gold to us.
"Your honey has been so delicious and I have just a small amount left - insert dramatic SIGH here. I made a honey-pistachio cheesecake that was an absolute hit with my family and have drizzled, stirred, and even put some into my coffee and tea to enjoy the beautiful flavors. I am interested in getting some sourwood honey if/when the time comes. Hoping you can get a great harvest so I can lop off my arm to give you in exchange for that rare and delicious honey!"
"This honey is SO GOOD."
"This honey is SO GOOD."
I love the poems you put on the back of your honey. I love reading them. I purchased Glue-be-Gone so that I can take them off the glass when it's empty. It's very special. I'm not sure you appreciate how special they make your honey.
Want to get the honey order form 2 days before everyone else? Paid subscribers of my Substack get the honey order form 2 days early AND they get free shipping on all orders smaller than a case.