Harvesting Honey For Direct Marketing

Harvesting Honey For Direct Marketing

Summary

To harvest honey and make it a branded product and to provide the community the opportunity to purchase a local natural product that is healthy for you. The product will focus on the medicinal benefits of honey, especially the effect it has on seasonal allergies.

Objectives/Performance Targets

The goal of this project is to produce a value added product that is harvested locally and to market it within the local community.

Accomplishments/Milestones

The producer bought the equipment that was needed to complete the project. By purchasing some of the equipment used, she was able to obtain much more needed equipment than she had originally thought she could. The producer had intended on starting with only seven hives, but through donations she was able to begin with twenty hives. She also was able to acquire two established hives from a retiring beekeeper as well. The producer began a beekeeping journal to track money going out and coming in. The journal also includes equipment purchased, contact information of other beekeepers, and techniques that were tried and the outcomes of each.

The producer has begun outreach projects for the honey business. The first of these efforts is a brochure, business card, and label design. The producer has completed research on the health attributes of honey and has compiled information that will be included in the brochure. The brochure will also include contact information for group presentations and farm tours. She has also decided on a logo to go on the brochure, business cards, as well as label design. The producer will have these available for distribution by Spring 2008.

The producer will begin work on the website this winter and have it up and running before Spring 2008. The information on the brochure will also be included on the website.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Of the twenty-two hives the producer started with, nineteen hives have survived, while three hives were lost due to failure to thrive. Of these hive bodies, all were saved and will be put back into production in the spring. All of the remaining hives are currently producing honey however most of the honey will have to be left in the hives to serve as food for the bees during the winter. The producer was able to harvest off of six supers. The honey is in process at this time. The producer has already obtained orders for this and next year's honey crop. Due to the decreased amount of honey that is estimated to be collected this year, direct marketing to farmers markets and local grocery stores is not an option at this time. The producer has obtained a listing of Ohio and West Virginia fairs and festivals. This list contains dates and contact information that will be used in setting up sales and information booths for 2008.