Artisan Raw Certified Organic Greek Forest Honey

Thomas

Artisan Raw Certified Organic Greek Forest Honey - 300g Runny

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Artisan Raw Certified Organic Greek Forest Honey

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1
What is the story behind Thomas and his family beekeeping operation?
The first thing you should know about Thomas is that he is very warm hearted and very passionate. Although his family have been beekeeping for many generations his story with us starts one day back in 2016. Thomas and his girlfriend Christina turned up at our warehouse in Brighton. At the time he was studying at the University of Brighton. He came with samples of his family’s Greek honey. This was fortuitous because I had been seeking Greek honey for some time but had not been able to meet any producers who met our standards. Anyway, we were blown away by the quality of the honeys, particularly the dark ones, like Oak. We learnt that the family beekeeping operation consisted of Thomas, his sister Elena, his Dad Giorgios and his aunt Ana. They were a small operation at the time but Thomas was ambitious and determined to grow the business. Since then, we have worked closely with Thomas and encouraged him to get organic certification and to focus on providing honeys, which are most popular with our customers, like Oak, Fir and Orange Blossom. Now his business has grown substantially, and he has gained a big place in the hearts of our customers – particularly following the floods in September 2023, which destroyed 300 of his hives. He has since recovered, thanks in part to donations from customers. His business goes from strength to strength.
2
What is the status of Thomas’ honey?
His honey is 100% raw, meaning it’s never heated or filtered beyond coarse filtering to remove any debris from the hive. processed. This ensures it retains all its natural enzymes, pollen, and beneficial properties. In addition, he recently gained organic status. This means regular inspections and analysis of the honey. His bees forage in unpolluted areas free from pesticides and synthetic chemicals. Also, there are other requirements, such as no sugar feeding.
3
What types of honey does Thomas produce?
Thomas produces several honeydew honeys (honeys from tree sap and aphid activity). There is mountain oak, red fir, pine and vanilla fir. Then there is Chestnut, which is a mixture of honeydew and blossom honey. He has a few blossom honeys such as orange blossom and thyme. In addition, Thomas is developing some new products for us, including a mountain honey with propolis.
4
Where does Thomas keep his hives?
Thomas has most of his hives in the mountains of central Thessaly, where his Oak, Red Fir and Mountain honey come from. In lower areas of Thessaly his bees create Thyme honey. These are all very remote and wild places. On the island of Evia, he has hives for Pine honey. Thomas’ Chestnut honey comes from Mount Athos, which is in the Macedonian region of northern Greece. Then in the Peloponnese in the south of Greece he has hives for Orange Blossom honey. Specifically the hives are in the organic orangeries of the Laconia country. On Mount Mainlo, also in the Peloponnese, his bees create the famous Vanilla Fir honey, which can only be found in Greece, nowhere else in the world.
5
What else should I know about Thomas’ honey?
This is very much a family operation. His family oversees everything, from hive management to extraction and packaging, ensuring top quality in every jar. At busy times he will work with other family members, such as his Uncle Stefanos, who helps him with the Red Fir hives. In recent years, the honey has won awards in the Great Taste Awards and London Honey Awards. For instance, his Chestnut that comes via the Monks of Mount Athos won Gold in the London Honey Awards.
6
Any recommendations for ways to use Thomas’ honey?
Thomas’ honeys are very thick and strongly antibacterial. His Oak and Chestnut are ideal for easing the discomfort of sore throats and coughs. If you have a sore throat take a tea spoonful of his Oak honey and tip your head back and let the honey coat your entire throat. Do not drink anything for 10 minutes, so that the honey has a chance to properly work on the inflammation. You will find it eases any discomfort.
7
Why are Thomas’ honeys so thick and antibacterial?
The Greek climate helps to reduce moisture in honey making them especially thick. This means the natural enzymes are more concentrated than in honeys that have higher moisture content. This may be the reason why Thomas’ honey generally has a higher Activity level than other honeys.

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