Raw Honey & Pasteurization

Q:  Is your honey raw?

Yes. All of our honey is raw — never pasteurized and never heat-treated beyond what's needed to gently bottle it. Raw honey keeps the natural pollen, enzymes, and character of the flowers the bees worked, which is exactly what's stripped out of the filtered, pasteurized honey found on most grocery shelves.

Q:  What's the difference between raw and pasteurized honey?

Pasteurized honey is heated to high temperatures and fine-filtered, mainly to give it a uniform look and slow down crystallization on store shelves. That heat destroys much of the natural enzymes and removes the pollen. Raw honey skips that processing, so it stays closer to how it was in the hive — richer in flavor, with the pollen intact. The trade-off is that raw honey will naturally crystallize over time, which is a sign of quality, not spoilage.

Q:  Is raw honey safe to eat?

For children and adults, yes. Raw honey is a natural, shelf-stable food. The one important exception: honey of any kind — raw or not — should never be given to infants under 12 months old, because a baby's digestive system can't yet handle the naturally occurring spores it may contain. This is standard guidance for all honey, everywhere. For everyone past their first birthday, raw honey is perfectly safe.

Crystallization

Q:  My honey turned solid and grainy — is it still good?

Yes, absolutely. Crystallization is completely natural and is actually a sign that your honey is raw and unprocessed. Over time, raw honey gradually turns from liquid to a thicker, grainy, or solid state. It has not gone bad — honey is one of the only foods that essentially never spoils. You can eat crystallized honey exactly as it is, or gently return it to liquid.

Q:  How do I turn crystallized honey back to liquid?

Warm it gently. Place the open jar in a bowl of warm (not boiling) water and let it sit, stirring occasionally, until the crystals dissolve. Keep the temperature low — excessive heat is the one thing that damages raw honey's natural benefits. Avoid the microwave for the same reason. There's no need to rush it; low and slow protects everything that makes raw honey worth buying.

Whipped / Creamed Honey

Q:  What is creamed honey (also called whipped honey)?

Creamed honey — also known as whipped honey — is 100% pure raw honey that has been carefully crystallized in a controlled way to produce an ultra-smooth, spreadable, creamy texture. Nothing is added: no cream, no sugar, no additives. It's simply honey with the crystals made so fine that it spreads like soft butter instead of drizzling. It never drips, which makes it ideal for toast, biscuits, and bagels.

Q:  Is your creamed honey raw?

Yes. Our creamed honey is raw honey — the whipping process is just a matter of texture, not heat or processing that would take away its raw quality. You get the same pure, unpasteurized honey, simply in a smooth, spreadable form instead of a liquid one.

Q:  What's the difference between your liquid honey and your creamed honey?

It's the same raw honey in two different textures. Liquid honey pours and drizzles — great for tea, cooking, and baking. Creamed (whipped) honey is thick and spreadable and holds its shape — great for spreading on toast and biscuits without the drip. Flavor-wise they're the same honey; it comes down to how you like to use it.

Our Honey Varieties

Q:  What is star thistle honey?

Star thistle honey is our signature Northern Michigan varietal, produced from the nectar of star thistle blossoms around Beulah, Michigan. It's prized for a light color and a mild, sweet, delicate flavor that isn't overpowering — which makes it an easy everyday favorite for tea, baking, and eating straight from the spoon. It's raw and unprocessed like all our honey.

Q:  What is tupelo honey, and is yours certified?

Tupelo honey is one of the most sought-after honeys in the world, harvested from the white tupelo trees that bloom in the river swamps of Florida's Panhandle. It's known for a smooth, buttery flavor and for resisting crystallization longer than most honeys, thanks to its natural sugar makeup. Our tupelo is genuine, lab-certified tupelo honey — our family has run bees in the Apalachicola region since 2001. Because true tupelo is often imitated, that certification is your assurance you're getting the real thing.

Q:  What is Florida wildflower honey?

Our wildflower honey comes from the remote gallberry blooms of Florida's Big Bend region. It's a raw, never-blended honey with a light, floral character that reflects the wild mix of blossoms the bees gather from. Because it's a wildflower honey, it captures whatever is in bloom — a true taste of the local landscape.

Q:  What's in Kirk's Hot Honey?

Kirk's Hot Honey is our raw star thistle honey infused with a blend of habanero, Aleppo, and Birdseye chilis — with no added sugar. It balances real honey sweetness with genuine heat, and it's a favorite drizzled over pizza, fried chicken, wings, and cheese. It's the honey itself carrying the spice, not a syrup.

Q:  Do you make your own maple syrup?

Our pure maple syrup comes from the Olds Brothers, a trusted Northern Michigan producer we partner with. It's genuine, grade-A maple syrup — a natural companion to our honey lineup for anyone who loves real, minimally processed sweeteners.

About Sleeping Bear Farms

Q:  Who is Sleeping Bear Farms?

We're a family beekeeping operation that has been raising bees since 1979. Based in Beulah, Michigan, we produce raw Northern Michigan honey in the summer and run bees in Florida's Panhandle for tupelo and wildflower honey — nearly five decades of hands-on beekeeping in the family. Beyond honey we make creamed honeys, hot honey, honey cremes, mustards, and a line of beeswax soaps, salves, and candles.

Shipping

Q:  Do you ship, and how long does it take?

Yes, we ship our honey and products directly to your door.

Q:  What happens if honey crystallizes or a jar is damaged in transit?

Crystallization during shipping is normal and harmless — see the crystallization section above for how to gently re-liquefy it.

Wholesale

Q:  Do you offer wholesale or bulk pricing?

Yes. We offer case quantities and bulk sizes — including 5-gallon (60 lb) buckets and 1-gallon jugs — for retailers, bakers, brewers, and other businesses.