# houston we have a problem!



## TwT (Aug 5, 2004)

tecumseh, I don't know of any test to do to the honey to see where its from, only thing I can think would be catching him buying it but then It would be your word vs his. I got lucky selling my honey, just word of mouth then giving away 4oz jars for them to try and now I have 9 cases of pint jars (12 jars a case) ordered for next year, these folks just love clover honey, I sell at home and people can see my hives. another reason I like selling honey in jars is you can use the container after you eat all the honey plus it adds to the home grown look, not like honey bars you can buy in the store, just my 2 cents.. Is honey at sam's low enough in price to make a profit buying and re-saleing???

[ December 31, 2005, 12:39 PM: Message edited by: TwT ]


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## George Fergusson (May 19, 2005)

Side-by-side taste test Tecumseh, best test there is. Let the best honey win. Don't trust your own opinion, let other people try. Put a jar of his honey next to a jar of your honey, cover up the labels and ask people to pick the better honey. You'll have people standing in line for their turn!

In my own experience, there's no comparison between store-bought heat-processed ultra-filtered honey and good raw unprocessed unfiltered honey with some pollen suspended in it. The granola crowd that believes everything is better if it has dirt or bugs on it will pick the right one every time









There's also a basic principle at work which is "There's no accounting for individual taste." I know people that were brough up on Aunt Jemima's brown colored corn syrup and actually *prefer* it over real honest to goodness maple syrup. No accounting for taste. Probably the same situation applies to some people who were brought up on blended over-filtered heat-treated honey from Argentina or wherever and *like* it. However, I think most people when they taste the Real Thing(tm) go "Mmmmmmmmm..."

What's his label say? If he's falsely labeling his honey, that's a no-no but I have no idea how you'd go about pursuing the matter, or proving it. There's gotta be some recourse. As to whether he's really got any bees or not, can't you check with the state? Don't they have apiary registration in Texas?

George-


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## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

YEP TASTE -- TEST


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## bleakley (Jun 13, 2004)

tecumseh, we also sell our products at a local farmers' market. The rules for our market allow the manager of the market to inspect the "farm" of the vendor to authenticate that the vendor's products are a locally grown product.

Perhaps the bylaws for your market have similar provisions.


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## RAlex (Aug 18, 2001)

Tecumseh...I have a nephew who has Honey Bees in the city of Houston. He has a mentor who kept bees for a long time.I am fairly certain he doesnt sell Honey at the flea market tho . He was selling more Honey than he made ( "a Good Thing" as Martha would say). Sounds like the guy you talked to is just swapping labels . You might ask him what kind of bees he is keeping or  if he has had any trouble with his queens open mating and ending up with hot hives ? 
I once got involved in a conversation with a guy who claims to have worked the backstretch (stables) at a Saratoga horse track. It wasnt long after I got into the subject of a horses breeding then I realized he was full of horse spit...lol..
G`luck Rick


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## nursebee (Sep 29, 2003)

In a way I would just ignore the guy. Who cares? Just work on selling yourself and your product. Invite purchaser's over to see the operation. Get them into a hive. Invite them over to help extract. Live a wholesome life and sell a wholesome product. Give a little extra to large purchasers: varietal honey, candles, baked goods.

I expect that with a minimum of work you can sell all your honey before you harvest again.


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## Joel (Mar 3, 2005)

I'm with Joe. You're knowledge of bees and honey (customers love to talk to beekeepers), a superior product and your honest approach will set the stage for everything else. If you have one bring your observation hive a few times, that will speak volumes and is a real crowd pleaser.


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## sc-bee (May 10, 2005)

Don't have any experience myself since this is my first year. But can't help to make a comment about what I would think if I was a customer looking in. (First as nursebee says just leave it alone nothing to gain from negative PR.) If he indeed is repacking then I'm sure a few samples of your honey at the market would do the trick!!!! Also I have heard of folks using an observation hive but perhaps even simpler an empty nuc to show as a demonstration and some pictures on a board of you working your bees (of course with your lovable mug in full view





















!!! ) If he is indeed not a beekeeper he would have nothing to add to any conversations that may start up!! Good Luck! Enjoyed reading your post last year.

[ January 01, 2006, 07:53 AM: Message edited by: sc-bee ]


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## tecumseh (Apr 26, 2005)

thanks for all the positive advice... 

and yes it would be my preference to keep the situation as positive as possible. mizz tecumseh, grey dog and I are headed back to Texas today. thanks again and Happy New Year.


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