Sweeter Than a Honey Bee

Posted by The Editorial Desk / Thursday, November 17th, 2011

I used to hate honey when I was younger. It freaked me out that it came from bees. I hated bees (well, I still hate bees). I found it too sweet, which sounds impossible to me now. Now, I love it — I love it in tea, on oatmeal, on toast with peanut butter, on apples — and I can’t get enough of it. I can’t get enough of sweet, sweet honey — honey made from bees.

But a recent article from CNN’s Eatocracy informed readers and American honey consumers of the shocking news released in a Food Safety News analysis of honey. The analysis found that the honey sold in American stores falls short of including the essential ingredient of pollen in their falsely labeled “honey.”

More importantly, the lack of pollen in “honey” questions its legitimacy and origin of natural and safe sources. This brings up the problem of health and safety, and also the importance of supporting local beekeepers who specialize in making fresh and natural honey. But shockingly enough, there’s no honey standard set by the Food and Drug Administration.

So, what should you do? Organic honey from safe and reliable sources is available in stores like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods. You can also find fresh honey at local farmers markets (listed below).

The farmers market I went to last week in Crystal City actually had one vendor with a glass showcase of lives bees flying and buzzing around in their honeycomb — though I’m now a grown adult, I still got freaked out and picked up my pace from casual-stroll to a speed-walk to the other side of the sidewalk. But if live bees don’t freak you out (even in a glass cage), I’d definitely recommend picking up some fresh honey from your local farmers market.

Northern Virginia Farmer’s Market and Hours:

Annandale Farmers Market • 6621 Columbia Pike, Annandale – Thu, 8-noon 
Arlington Farmers Market • N. 14th St. & N. Courthouse Road, Arlington – Sat, 8-noon 
Ashburn Farmers Market • 44036 Pipeline Plaza, Ashburn – Sat, 8-noon
Ballston Farmers Market • N. Stuart St. & N. Ninth St. – Thu, 3-7 p.m. 
Brambleton Farmers Market • 22875 Brambleton Plaza, Ashburn – Sun, 9-1 p.m.
Burke Farmers Market • 5671 Roberts Parkway, Burke – Sat, 8-noon 
Cascades Farmers Market • 21060 Whitfield Place, Sterling – Sun, 9-1 p.m.
Clarendon Farmers Market• 3100 Wilson Blvd., Arlington – Wed, 3-7 p.m.
Columbia Pike Farmers Market • S. Walter Reed Drive & Columbia Pike – Sun, 9-1 p.m.
Community Farmers Market • West & Main Streets (Sat), North St. & Old Lee Highway (Sun), Fairfax – Sat: 8-1 p.m.; Sun: 10-2 p.m.
Crystal City Farmers Market • Crystal Square Arcade between S. 18th and 20th Streets – Tue, 3-7 p.m. 
Culpeper Farmers Market • E. Davis & Commerce Streets – Sat, 7:30-noon
Dale City Farmers Market • Dale Blvd. & Minnieville Road, Dale City – Sun, 8-1 p.m.
Del Ray Farmers’ Market • E. Oxford & Mount Vernon Ave., Alexandria – Sat, 8-noon 
Fairfax Farmers Market • 3720 Old Lee Highway, Fairfax – Tue, 8-noon
Falls Church Farmers Market • 300 Park Ave., Falls Church – Sat, 8-noon 
Fredericksburg Farmers Market• George and Prince Edward Streets, Fredericksburg – Mon-Sat, 7-6 p.m.; Sun, 12:30-4 p.m.
Frying Pan Farmers Market • 2709 West Ox Road, Herndon – Wed, 8-12:30 p.m.
Great Falls Farmers Market • 750 Walker Road, Great Falls – Sat, 9-1 p.m. 
Haymarket Farmers Market • 1500 Washington St., Haymarket – Sat, 8-2 p.m. 
Herndon Farmers Market • Lynn and Station Streets, Herndon – Thu, 8-noon
Kingstowne Farmers Market • Kingstowne Center & Kingstowne Blvd., Franconia – Fri, 4-7 p.m.
Leesburg Farmers Market • 20 Catoctin Circle S.E., Leesburg – Sat, 8-noon
Lorton Farmers Market • 8990 Lorton Station Blvd., Lorton – Sun, 9-1 p.m.
McLean Farmers Market • 1659 Chain Bridge Road, McLean – Fri, 8-noon 
Middleburg Farmers Market • 300 W. Washington St., Middleburg – Sat, 8-noon
Mount Vernon Farmers Market • 2501 Sherwood Hall Lane, Alexandria – Tue, 8-noon
Nokesville Farmers Market • 13005 Fitzwater Drive, Nokesville – Sat, 8-noon
Oakton Farmers Market • 3200 Jermantown Road, Oakton – Wed, 8-noon 
Old Town Alexandria Farmers Market • 301 King St., Alexandria – Sat, 5:30-11 a.m.
Old Town Manassas Farmers Market • 9201 Center St., Manassas – Thu, 7-1 p.m.; Sat, 7:30-2:30 p.m.
Nokesville Farmers Market • 13005 Fitzwater Drive, Nokesville – Sat, 8-noon
Purcellville Farmers Market• 751 E. Main St., Purcellville – Sat, 8-noon
Reston Farmers Market • 11400 Washington Plaza W., Reston – Sat, 8-noon
Smart Markets – Centreville • 5875 Trinity Parkway, Centreville – Fri, 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Smart Markets – Fairfax Corner • Grand Commons Ave., Fairfax – Tue, 3:30-6:30 p.m. 
Smart Markets – Gainesville • 13297 Gateway Center Drive, Gainesville – Sun, 10:30-1:30 p.m.
Smart Markets – Herndon • 460 Elden St., Herndon – Thu, 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Smart Markets – Oakton • 2854 Hunter Mill Road, Oakton – Sat, 10-2 p.m. 
Smart Markets – Reston • 11890 Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston – Wed, 3:30-6:30 p.m.
Upper King Street Farmers Market • 1806 King St., Alexandria – Wed, 3-7 p.m.
Vienna Farmers Market • 131 Church St. N.E., Vienna – Sat, 8-noon
Wakefield Farmers Market • 8100 Braddock Road, Annandale – Wed, 2-6 p.m.
Warrenton Farmers Market • Branch Drive and Warrenton Village Center (Wed), S. Fifth & Lee Streets (Sat) – Wed, 7-1 p.m.; Sat, 7-noon
West End Farmers Market • 4800 Brenman Park Drive, Alexandria – Sun, 9-1 p.m.

-Julia Harbo

Tags: beekeepers, bees, cnn, crystal city green, eatocracy, farmers markets, food safety news, Gut Check, honey, honey bees, julia harbo, Northern Virginia, Northern Virginia Magazine, NoVA, queen bee, taj mahal, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods