CT apiaries that make fresh honey
Honey Bee collecting pollen at a white flower
Getty ImagesApiaries around the Nutmeg State are making this year’s World Bee Day a little bit sweeter.
World Bee Day, observed on May 20, was established to raise awareness of the importance of pollinators, such as bees, to the ecosystem and food security. According to the United Nations, “Bees are under threat. Present species extinction rates are 100 to 1,000 times higher than normal due to human impacts.”
“Nearly 90 percent of the world’s wild flowering plant species depend, entirely, or at least in part, on animal pollination, along with more than 75% of the world’s food crops and 35 percent of global agricultural land. Not only do pollinators contribute directly to food security, but they are key to conserving biodiversity,” the United Nations’ website states.
One such food that pollinators create is honey, produced by bees. There are many beekeepers across the state ranging from hobbyists to professionals, meaning there are plenty of options for Connecticut residents looking to access fresh and local honey.
Here are some of the apiaries producing honey across the state:
Jones Apiaries
Farmington
This Farmington apiary began as a wedding gift, according to the Jones Apiaries website. Tom and Becky Jones were gifted a beehive as a wedding present in 1972. By the year 2000, the couple had more than 200 hives. Since then, the Joneses have served in roles with the CT Beekeepers Association and the Eastern Apiculture Society of North America. Jones Apiaries sells beekeeping wares, including its own nucleus colonies. The website says colonies should be available beginning in May.