Your BEST Guide to Local Raw Honey

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We love all the benefits of raw honey and we love getting our honey from local beekeepers. If you have never tasted raw honey then you are missing out. It’s not the same as honey at your local grocery store. Raw honey is a natural sweetener and it comes straight out of the beehive. In this article, we will take a closer look at raw honey and discuss why it’s becoming so popular.

This article may contain affiliate links where we earn a small percent for you visiting our site at no cost to you! Please review our disclaimer as we make no medical claims and this information is for educational purposes only. As always, consult your medical provider for any medical advice.

What is Raw Honey?

Raw honey is honey that hasn’t been processed or refined. It comes straight from the beehive. It’s pure, unheated, and unfiltered. It can be strained to remove debris, though. By keeping it unprocessed, the raw honey keeps all the healthy benefits that are lost through refining processes.

Difference Between Raw Honey and Processed Honey

Nearly all of the honey that you buy at your local grocery store is processed. This means it’s been heated, filtered (sometimes chemically), and sometimes even blended with other sweeteners and artificial dyes (yuck!) to make it look clear and smooth.

During this filtration and refining process, a lot of the nutrients, enzymes, and antioxidants in the honey are destroyed. In contrast, raw honey, remains in its natural form. This means that it is typically healthier for you.

Please note that honey is nearly always strained after it has been removed from the honeycomb and the beehive. This does not mean that it is not raw, however, the beekeeper will strain out debris and other material prior to placing in jars for your home.

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Like many people, we appreciate having a resource for raw honey in our area. You likely stumbled across this article as you were curious about some of the benefits of raw honey, too.

Recently, many people are turning to raw honey as they discover the health benefits that this amazing substance provides. Many people have also realized that raw honey provides a healthier alternative to toxic substances like processed sugar and other sweeteners. Let’s dive into how raw honey is made and why it’s so good for you!

How Raw Honey is Made

The Process of Honey Production in the Hive

It all starts with a flower. The flower produces nectar. The bee leave their hives and find the delicate nectar from a variety of flowers. The bees bring the nectar back to their hive where all the magic happens.

The honeybees then chew the nectar, mix it with enzymes, and store it in honeycombs. The honeycomb has been made by other bees in their beehive.

Over time (several days to several weeks), the nectar turns into honey through a natural process called evaporation, which happens as the bees fan their wings to remove water. Once the honey is ready, the bees seal the honeycomb and the beekeeper will harvest it.

Harvesting Raw Honey from the Hive

When beekeepers harvest raw honey, they carefully remove the honeycombs from the hive. Then, they cut the combs open to let the honey flow out. Raw honey is collected directly from the hive without being heated or filtered which keeps all its nutrients intact. The honey is then stored in jars for you to enjoy.

Minimal Processing to Preserve Nutrients

Unlike processed honey, raw honey is minimally processed. It might be strained to remove debris like pieces of beeswax, other bugs, or dirt but it’s not heated or pasteurized. This helps preserve the important vitamins, minerals, and enzymes that you find in raw honey.

Nutritional Benefits of Raw Honey

Please review our disclaimer as we make no medical claims and this information is for educational purposes only.

We enjoy eating raw honey and adding it to our teas. Raw honey is packed with nutrients that are great for your body, too. Did you know that hospitals use honey impregnated dressings to promote wound healing? How cool is that!

Raw Honey is Rich in Antioxidants, Vitamins, and Minerals

Raw honey contains antioxidants which help protect your body from damage caused by harmful substances called free radicals. Raw honey also has vitamins like B vitamins and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium that support your overall health. If you are looking for additional clinical grade supplements, go see what our partners at FullScript offer. They have over 20,000 items including honey vitamins!

Raw Honey Contains Enzymes and Probiotics

Enzymes in raw honey help with digestion and metabolism while probiotics support your gut health. These little helpers can improve your overall well-being and keep your digestive system running smoothly.

Health Benefits of Raw Honey

Raw honey is more than just a delicious way to sweeten your food. It has several health benefits, too

1. Natural Cough Suppressant

Mary Poppins may have known children have a sweet tooth. We would prefer to hear that a spoon full of “raw honey” helps the medicine go down, though.

Raw honey has been linked with several potential health benefits like supporting the immune system, helping with wound healing, and increasing your energy.

If you’ve got a cough, raw honey can be very helpful. We love that it soothes the throat to help calm our children’s throats which can reduce coughing. Just a spoonful before bed can be fantastic!

2. Skin Care

Did you know that raw honey isn’t just for eating? It can also be used on your skin!

Raw honey provides moisturizing properties which may help with acne. It has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory qualities that may reduce redness and irritation, too. This could leave your skin feeling soft and smooth.

3. Supports Gut Health

We mentioned earlier that raw honey has enzymes and probiotics. This can make raw honey a healthy powerhouse for your digestive system. It may help balance the good bacteria in your gut, making digestion easier and more efficient.

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4. Potential Allergy Relief

We have several friends who swear by raw honey as a natural way to relieve seasonal allergies. There has been some mixed reviews on the effect of this, though. It is traditionally thought that consuming local raw honey may help your body build up a tolerance to the pollen in your area which could reduce allergy symptoms over time.

5. Antibacterial and Anti-inflammatory Properties

Raw honey has natural antibacterial properties. This means it may help fight infections. It’s also anti-inflammatory, which may help reduce swelling and pain in the body. Hospitals have use honey to help heal wounds and cuts.

How to Choose Raw Honey

When you’re shopping for raw honey, there are a few things to look out for to make sure you’re getting the best quality.

Look for Organic and Local Raw Honey

If you can, try to buy organic raw honey from a local farm. Don’t trust a “local honey” label when you buy it at your local grocery store. Too often, grocery chains source their honey from other countries and they use artificial dyes and chemicals to treat, clean, and color their honey. Just buy local!

Organic honey is produced without harmful pesticides or chemicals, which is better for both you and the environment. Local honey is also a great choice because it supports local beekeepers and may even help with allergies if it’s produced in your area.

If you would love to find more local food options, we have some ideas in the Ohio Local Farm Directory. There are many ideas for finding local farms outside of Ohio, too.

Understanding the Honey Labeling

Check the label for terms like “unfiltered” and “unpasteurized.” These labels indicate that the honey has not been processed, which is key to keeping all the beneficial nutrients intact.

Detailed view of honey bees on a vibrant honeycomb filled with honey in a beehive.

Checking for Authenticity and Purity

Unfortunately, some honey is diluted with sugar or other sweeteners like high fructose corn syrup (yuck!). You can see that you are getting pure raw honey by finding labels that say “100% pure honey” and check if it’s been tested for authenticity. Honestly, it would just be better to buy your raw honey from a local beekeeper!

How to Use Raw Honey

We love using raw honey with everything like toast and bagels to tea and baked goods. There are so many ways you can use it.

You can add raw honey to teas, smoothies, or even baked goods. It’s a great natural sweetener. Our kiddos love adding it into their oatmeal or drizzling it over yogurt!

Although we prefer maple syrup over our pancakes, you can use honey, too.

A hand holding a glowing jar, creating a warm and cozy night atmosphere indoors.

Potential Risks and Considerations of Raw Honey

While raw honey is wonderful for most people, here are a few things to remember.

  1. Allergic Reactions or Sensitivities: Some people may be allergic to raw honey or the pollen in it. If you’ve never tried raw honey before, start with a small amount to see how your body reacts.
  2. Not Suitable for Infants Under 1 Year Old: Raw honey should never be given to babies under 1 year old. It can contain botulism spores, which can be dangerous for infants. Always make sure your little ones avoid raw honey. Check with your medical provider for when you can safely begin incorporating raw honey into their diet.

How to Store Raw Honey Properly

One of the best things about raw honey is that it doesn’t spoil. It can crystallize over time but this is not a concern and is very normal.

To store it, keep it in a cool, dry place.

If it does crystallize, you can gently warm it up by placing the jar in warm water. Then enjoy!

Discovering Local Raw Honey from a Local Beekeeper in Ohio

Below is a list of Ohio farms and businesses that have honey available. Some of these local farms have raw honey and others will have processed honey. We obtained this list from a generous search online and through submissions to our website. As always, please reach out to the farm directly to verify their farming practices and what they raise or grow. If you are a farmer and would like to update the information below or be added, check out our Ohio local farm directory.

Two beekeepers working outdoors, extracting honeycomb from a beehive in sunlight.

Ashland County

  • eBeeHoney
    • Address: 1318 Township Rd 593, Ashland, OH 44805
    • Website: ebeehoney.com

Ashtabula County

  • Freyja’s Acres LLC
  • Ashtabula County Beekeepers Association
    • Address: 2430 Brown Rd, Jefferson, OH 44047
  • Queen P’s Honey Bees, LLC
    • Address: 52 Franklin St, Amesville, OH 45711

Athens County

  • Steinke’s Bee World
    • Address: 10581 Ashburn Rd, Wapakoneta, OH 45895

Auglaize County

Carroll County

  • Hilltop Bee Supply
    • Address: 332 Steubenville Rd SE, Carrollton, OH 44615

Clark County

  • SEEK Farms
    • Address: 5674 Springfield Xenia Rd, Springfield, OH 45502
  • that crazy bee guy
    • Address: 406 S Belmont Ave, Springfield, OH 45505
    • Website: thatcrazybeeguy.com

Clermont County

Clinton County

  • Beekeeper Inn

Crawford County

Cuyahoga County

  • Cleveland Bee Removal
  • Hood Honey
    • Address: 3410 E 119th St, Cleveland, OH 44120
  • The Honeyest One
  • Hive Works Honey Co
  • The Bee Man
  • Bee Well Garden and Apiary
  • Pure Local Honey – Campana Honey Co.
    • Address: 5819 Barton Rd, North Olmsted, OH 44070
  • Linda’s Bee Farm Shop

Darke County

Delaware County

  • Ramar Lane Honey Bee Farm
    • Address: 1944 Ford Rd, Delaware, OH 43015
    • Website: ramarlane.com
  • Bee Dad Honeybees

Erie County

  • T’s Bees
    • Address: 7600 OH-101, Castalia, OH 44824

Fairfield County

  • Roger’s Honey
  • Sycamore Creek Apiary
    • Address: 8432 Benadum Rd NW, Carroll, OH 43112
    • Website: sycamorecreekapiary.com
  • BEEpothecary®
  • My Cool Bees
    • Address: 6151 Hopewell Church Rd SW, Lancaster, OH 43130
    • Website: mycoolbees.com

Franklin County

  • Conrad’s Hive and Honey
  • Central Ohio Beekeepers Association
  • City Girl Bees
  • Orchard Lane Apiary
    • Address: 101 W Orchard Ln, Columbus, OH 43214
  • the bee collective
  • HINTON APIARIES
    • Address: 2697 Martha Ct, Grove City, OH 43123
  • Heart of Ohio Honey
    • Address: 4854 Miller-Paul Rd, Westerville, OH 43082
  • Red Beard Bees

Fulton County

  • Myers Honey
    • Address: 1760 Co Rd 2, Swanton, OH 43558

Greene County

  • Jacob’s Beekeeping & Removal LLC
    • Address: 1416 Hanes Rd, Beavercreek, OH 45434

Hamilton County

Heath County

  • Me And My Honey Of Ohio
    • Address: 6057 Van Fossen Rd, Johnstown, OH 43031
    • Website: meandmyhoneyofohio.com

Highland County

  • Allgood Honey and Things
  • Bee Wild Honey Farm LLC
    • Address: 8839 Evans Rd, Leesburg, OH 45135

Holmes County

Huron County

  • Honey Bee Treasure

Jackson County

Jefferson County

Knox County

  • Superior Bee Country Store
    • Address: 7199 Mt Gilead Rd, Fredericktown, OH 43019
    • Website: superiorbeecountrystoreoh.com
  • Covenant Acreage
    • Address: 17001 Smith Road, Fredericktown, OH 43019
  • Little Larue Apiary LLC
    • Address: 5340 Possum St, Mt Vernon, OH 43050
    • Website: littlelarueapiary.com
  • My Bee Supply LLC
    • Address: 13600 Old Mansfield Rd, Mt Vernon, OH 43050
    • Website: mybeesupply.com
  • Superior Bee
  • The Farm On Kenyon Road
    • Address: 11749 Kenyon Road, Mount Vernon, OH 43050
    • Website: thefarmonkenyonroad.com
  • Yellowbird Food Shed

Lake County

  • Lil’ Morsels Honey Co. (main apiary location NOT SUPPLY STORE)
    1800 N Ridge Rd, Painesville, OH 44077
    Website: lilmorselshoneyco.com
  • Homegrown Farms
    5754 Middle Ridge Rd, Madison, Ohio 44057
    Facebook

Licking County

  • KP Honey Farms & Beekeeping Supplies
    6708 Concord Rd, Alexandria, OH 43001
    Website: kphoneyfarms.com
  • Latshaw Apiaries
    4033 Castle Rd, Alexandria, OH 43001
    Website: latshawapiaries.com/contact
  • East Central Ohio Beekeepers Association
    10383 Fairview Rd SE, Heath, OH 43055
    Website: e-coba.org

Logan County

  • Providence Bee Company
    8750 Co Rd 39, Belle Center, OH 43310
    Website: probee.co
  • Prairie Ridge Honey Farm
    29644 OH-385, Lakeview, OH 43331
    Website: prhoneyfarm.com

Madison County

Marion County

Medina County

Miami County

Montgomery County

  • Elton Apiaries
    7910 Brookville Phillipsburg Rd, Brookville, OH 45309
  • Wellbaum Acres Apiaries
    7246 Wellbaum Rd, Brookville, OH 45309
  • Clearly The Best Bees
    Moraine, OH
    Website: clearlythebestbees.com
  • Marshall.Honey.Bee.Rescue
    1166 Woodland Meadows Dr, Vandalia, OH 45377
  • Half Pint Provisions
    1729 W Hosom Rd NW, Malta, OH 43746
    Email: halfpintprovisions@gmail.com

Morrow County

  • Triple Tree Farm
    Marengo, OH
  • Busy Bees Farm Market
    • 4025 County Road 114, Mt Gilead, Ohio 43338
    • facebook

Muskingum County

Paulding County

  • Stoller Honey Bee Lot
    950 Van Wert St, Latty, OH 45855

Portage County

  • Portage County Beekeepers Association
    2860 OH-225, Diamond, OH 44412
    Website: portagecountybeekeepers.com
  • Honey Hostess
    1568 Carriage Way, Mogadore, OH 44260
    Website: etsy.com/shop/HoneyHostess
  • Blue Sky Bee Supply Ltd
    930 N Freedom St, Ravenna, OH 44266
    Website: blueskybeesupply.com
  • Kline Honey Bee Farm
    3015 OH-14, Rootstown, OH 44272
    Website: klinefarm.com

Preble County

Richland County

  • Fairie Haven Farm
    297 Hamilton Rd, Bellville, OH 44813
  • Local Honey Apiary
    1715 Lorkay Dr, Mansfield, OH 44905
    Website: abbyrosefarm.com
  • Miller Farms & Excavating
    4752 Bloomingrove Rd, Mansfield, OH 44905
    Email: kelljo413@gmail.com
  • Weller Bee Supply
    3600 Robinson Rd, Mansfield, OH 44903
    Website: wellerbeesupply.com

Ross County

  • Williams Honey Bees
    46 Porter Ave #8011, Frankfort, OH 45628
    Website: williamshoneybees.com
  • Bee Guy Supplies
    983 Hanna Ln, Londonderry, OH 45647

Seneca County

  • Cherry City Honey Farms and Apiary
    1000 Co Rd 312, Bellevue, OH 44811
    Website: cherrycityhoney.com
  • Bruns Honey Farm
    5050 Creek 5, Kansas, OH 44841
    Website: findhoneyfarms.com

Shelby County

  • Honey Shack
    21400 Co Hwy 36, Maplewood, OH 45340

Stark County

  • Heider’s Honey & Herbs
    706 32nd St NW, Massillon, OH 44647
    Website: heidershoney.com
  • Hartville Honey Bee Farm
    2644 Wright Rd NW, Uniontown, OH 44685
    Website: hartvillehoney.com

Summit County

  • Hatch’s Honey
    2254 Mogadore Rd, Akron, OH 44312
    Website: hatchshoney.com
  • Mueller Honey Bee Rescue
    5867 Manchester Rd, Akron, OH 44319
    Website: muellerhoneybee.org
  • Wesley Family Apiary & Microfarm (Akron Honey)
    1045 Jefferson Ave, Akron, OH 44302
    Website: akronhoney.com
  • Buzz Off, Honey
    2243 Ravenna St, Hudson, OH 44236
    Website: buzzoff.biz/contact-us
  • 4KBeez
    4290 S Medina Line Rd, Norton, OH 44203
    Website: 4kbeez.com
  • Summit County Beekeepers Association
    229 E Howe Rd, Tallmadge, OH 44278
    Website: summitbeekeepers.com

Trumbull County

  • Baldwins Bee Bizz
    6487 State Rte 5, Kinsman, OH 44428
    Website: baldwinsbeebizz.com
  • Happy Honey Bee Co., LLC
    State Rte 534, Newton Falls, OH 44444
    Website: happyhoneybeeco.etsy.com

Union County

  • Combs Bee Farm
    235 W Center St, Milford Center, OH 43045
    Website: combsbeefarm.com

Van Wert County

Warren County

Washington County

Wayne County

Williams County

Wood County

  • CRB’S Beekeeping Supplies
    9388 County Line Rd, Custar, OH 43511
    Website: crbcrx.com
  • A Drop of Honey
    24195 Front St, Grand Rapids, OH 43522
  • Nana’s Honey
    24062 Hull Prairie Rd, Perrysburg, OH 43551
    Website: nanaslocalhoney.com
  • Ramge Acres
    9790 Five Point Rd, Perrysburg, OH 43551
    Website: ramgeacres.com
  • Stony Ridge Apiaries LLC
    24433 Lemoyne Rd, Perrysburg, OH 43551
    Website: stonyridgeapiaries.com

Wyandot County

Conclusion

Raw honey is a natural, sweet, and healthy alternative to other artificial and processed sugars. It is packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, enzymes, and probiotics. It provides many health benefits, too. Whether you add it to your favorite hot or iced drink or your next baked good recipe, the options are endless for how you can use this natural, healthy sweetener.

We would love to hear how you use raw honey in your home. Tell us in the comments below.

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