We’re known for selling grassfed and pasture-raised meats. But we also offer 100% raw, unpasteurized Wildflower Honey that reflects the true interconnectedness of the ecosystem we’ve built on our farm.
Luis Tellez, a third-generation beekeeper, has worked with us for six years. Over time, he has grown one beehive and two liters of honey to today’s 14 hives and 86 gallons of honey per year. On top of the bees, Luis also works in our egg department, and helps make our zero-waste tallow candles and tallow soap (he’s a busy guy).
We sometimes call ourselves grass farmers, because the overall health of every species on the farm depends on the health of our perennial pastures. Luis credits the health of the bees to this thriving ecosystem, where there aren’t chemical inputs in plant pollen, nectar, or the water.
Our beehives are nestled in our farm’s vegetable and flower garden, with access to plenty of wildflowers like clover and goldenrod. The apple, peach, and pear fruit trees around the farm also benefit from the bee pollination, and this natural pollen adds rich floral and fruity flavors to the honey.
When it’s time to harvest wildflower honey, Luis makes a careful decision about what he can take while leaving the bees healthy for the next year. “We harvest what we can, but we leave plenty of honey so our bees can get through the winter. We are not giving sugar and water syrup to the bees. It is not the proper thing to do,” he says.
“We are happy with what we can get. It’s not about the quantity. It’s about the quality and the commitment we have with the bees.”
Luis’ commitment to the bees comes through in the quality of the honey. As he explains, “whenever I’m working with bees, to me it’s not work. It’s something I love.”
Our honey changes with the seasons, varying in color, texture, and taste depending on what the bees are finding in our pastures. It is never heated during the extraction process (some beekeepers do that to slow down the process of crystallization, but it alters the beneficial properties in natural honey).
In October of 2020, White Oak Pastures Wildflower Honey was recognized as a finalist in the Flavor of Georgia honey category. Our customers buy our wildflower honey to add sweetness to recipes, reduce seasonal allergies, or use in skin and scalp care.
Want to see more about our bees? Check out this behind the scenes look from our In The Dirt video series.
