By Jan Sevene
“Raw honey, it keeps all the healthy properties that we love. Eating local honey…it gives you a lot more benefits,” says Alison Solomonides.
Alison’s husband, John Solomonides, owns The New Hampshire Honey Bee. With over 20 hives in Gilsum, Alstead, and surrounding towns, he offers not only nutritious, local wildflower honey, but beekeeper supplies to help others get started producing their own backyard honey.
If sparked by the desire to become a backyard beekeeper, The New Hampshire Honey Bee carries packaged beginner starter kits. For more experienced local keepers, supplies such as hives, smokers, hive tools, helmets with veils, and extra supplies are available. But, this is the time of year for beekeepers to replenish – it is a case-by-case process to order bees and a day-by-day operation at this point.
John currently offers jars of The New Hampshire Honey Bee honey, and clean-burning beeswax candles, at various local stores. Under construction is the Honey House, where he eventually hopes to sell from his Gilsum location. Thoughts of future workshops, pollination services, and the purchase of other beekeepers’ extra honey, are also in the works.
According to Alison, they have heard from a lot of people who are very excited about bees; they’re getting phone calls and emails. There are many back-yard beekeepers who would love to share their stories with you.
Support local foods. Visit the above website or give John a call for help getting started in the fascinating world of backyard beekeeping.
The New Hampshire Honey Bee, Apiary & Beekeeping Supply Co., LLC
138 Alstead Hill Road
Gilsum, NH 03448
603-313-0186
NHHoneyBee@comcast.net
http://www.nhhoneybee.com
Other honey options:
Charles F. Andros
18 McLean Road
Walpole, NH 03608-0165
(603) 756-9056
Black Cat Honey
Richard Waite
62 Parker Street
Winchester, NH 03470-2903
(413) 626-7136
Bee Tree Farm
William & Carole Vogeley
506 Old Chesterfield Road
Chesterfield, New Hampshire 03443
(603) 363-4631
