Sweet Georgia Honey

"She’s as Sweet as Tupelo Honey, Just Like an Angel, baby, from the Bee"

~Van Morrison~

Tupelo honey belongs to us. It’s only commercially produced in a specific geographic region of South Georgia and the Florida panhandle where the White Tupelo tree thrives. During the annual Tupelo Honey festival at Wewahitchka, Florida, beekeepers compete to determine which state has the the best Tupelo honey.

Tupelo Honey is only found in South Georgia and the Florida Panhandle.Photo byDown South Today

Tupelo honey is known for its unique taste and properties. It is revered for its distinctive flavor profile, often described as buttery and floral, making it a favorite among honey enthusiasts. Additionally, Tupelo honey has a low sucrose content, making it a healthier alternative to other sweeteners.

Beyond its taste, Tupelo honey also holds a certain mystique. Its limited availability due to the specific geographic region where the Tupelo trees grow adds to its allure. The rarity and exclusivity of Tupelo honey make it a prized ingredient in culinary creations and a special gift for those seeking a unique and delightful honey experience.

Honey and other local products are sold in season along the rural roads of Georgia.Photo byDown South Today

Honey is ubiquitous. The flavors vary and its nomenclature probably isn’t as well-known as other sweeteners. But, honey has always been popular and has health benefits galore.

Bees make honey from flower nectar . The color and flavor are derived from the nectar source. Beekeepers, known as apiaries, produce many styles and varieties. “Lavender” honey has floral traces with a faint purple tint. Tupelo, which almost never crystallizes, is popular with chefs. Jack Daniel’s, the legendary distillery, produces a big seller labeled “Tennessee Honey,” a blend of “Old No. 7” whiskey and honey liqueur.

Delicious Lavender Honey.Photo byRed Oak Lavender Farm

Honey folklore cautions that when bees feed on rhododendron flowers, the resulting “mad honey” can pack a hallucinogenic punch. Honey is widely recognized as an antidote to pollen allergies. Mead, wine made from honey, was popular in King Arthur’s Court and is made in Georgia much the same way as in ancient days.

Southerners still greet friends and strangers as “honey,” a term of endearment. For those who jitterbug, The Drifters classic “Honey Love” and Elvis’s “Money Honey,” have just the right beat. The Beatles cover of Carl Perkins rockabilly classic “Honey Don’t,” is a cure for many ailments including the dreaded “Statesboro Blues.”

While honey is a fascinating subject, it’s timeless popularity is closely tied to its sweetness.

Kristen Money’s small family-owned apiary in Fort Valley, Georgia sells their honey in multiple stores and markets. She is an enthusiastic clarion for “the incredible benefits” of raw, local honey: “It’s rich in antioxidants,” she said, “and it’s anti-inflammatory help[ing] to reduce swelling and pain in the body. It can relieve seasonal allergies and has natural enzymes that improve digestion and help prevent bacterial infections in the gut. Raw honey’s antibacterial and anti-fungal properties help prevent infections and promote healing.”

Nature's way of making Lavender Honey.Photo byDown South Today

Tina and David Duffey grow lavender at their popular Red Oak Lavender Farm in Dahlonaga. Each July they extract lavender honey made by their bees. “We sell out of our honey in two weeks,” according to Tina Duffey, and “people actually call to reserve honey from us. It’s real lavender honey and not infused with lavender.”

Olivia Beecher works for venerable Ziegler’s Honey Company (established in 1935), and just launched her own honey business, Southern Hive. Both are in Stockton near Georgia’s Okefenokee swamp. Their local honey includes Gallberry, Wildflower, Orange Blossom, Wildberry, Tupelo, Tallow, Star Thistle, and Cranberry.

Southern Hive Honey, Stockton, GeorgiaPhoto bySouthern Hive Honey

“Honey is a passion of mine,” said Olivia, who operates hives, harvests and sells honey in her country store on Highway 129. “The Okefenokee swamp,” she added, “is full of wildflowers. South Georgia is well known for my favorite, Gallberry honey. It has a light, elegant taste. Nothing tastes better than biting into a juicy sweet chunk of Gallberry honeycomb.”

An ideal way to start each day? How about a pot of fresh, hot coffee, a few cathead biscuits straight from the oven, some country butter and generous spoonfuls of Tupelo Honey just before the sun rises?

Hot Biscuits, Tupelo Honey, Country Butter and Hot Coffee promises a good day.Photo byDown South Today