Local honey in eastern New Mexico?

[Native Son]

Star G Honey in Mosquero produces 6-8 different varieties of honey each year... ranging in color from white White Sweetclover through very dark amber Desert Wildflowers, and including very light amber Spring Wildflowers and Yellow Sweetclover, light amber Summer Mountain Wildflowers, amber Mesquite & Cactus Flowers and Autumn Mountain Wildflowers. Some of the darker honeys are very rich-flavored, almost chocolatey, while the White Sweetclover and Spring Wildflowers honeys are delicately mild-flavored.

Star G Honey has sponsored supplemental premium and ribbon awards for amateur beekeepers at the New Mexico State Fair for the past 15 years, to foster and encourage beginning and amateur beekeepers.

You can find their honey at the natural food store in Las Vegas and at the mercantile store in Gladstone. They also ship honey to all the 50 states. Or you can get it directly from the beekeeper at the honeyhouse in downtown Mosquero. But its always best to call in advance before planning to visit, because the beekeeper is often many miles away in a canyon, the mountains, or somewhere out in the vast and beautiful high plains of northeastern NM. They're listed in the phone book.

The beekeeper at Star G Honey has been practicing the 'gentle craft' of beekeeping for 38 years... 37 of them here in northeastern New Mexico. He's usually a pretty nice guy, and extremely knowledgeable about honeybees and, in general, the flora and fauna and natural history of New Mexico and the greater Southwest. But he can sometimes be an irascable old codger and doesn't always suffer fools with any of the patience with which he keeps and tends his honeybees.

[clairz]

Originally Posted by Native Son

Star G Honey in Mosquero produces 6-8 different varieties of honey each year... ranging in color from white White Sweetclover through very dark amber Desert Wildflowers, and including very light amber Spring Wildflowers and Yellow Sweetclover, light amber Summer Mountain Wildflowers, amber Mesquite & Cactus Flowers and Autumn Mountain Wildflowers. Some of the darker honeys are very rich-flavored, almost chocolatey, while the White Sweetclover and Spring Wildflowers honeys are delicately mild-flavored.

Star G Honey has sponsored supplemental premium and ribbon awards for amateur beekeepers at the New Mexico State Fair for the past 15 years, to foster and encourage beginning and amateur beekeepers.

You can find their honey at the natural food store in Las Vegas and at the mercantile store in Gladstone. They also ship honey to all the 50 states. Or you can get it directly from the beekeeper at the honeyhouse in downtown Mosquero. But its always best to call in advance before planning to visit, because the beekeeper is often many miles away in a canyon, the mountains, or somewhere out in the vast and beautiful high plains of northeastern NM. They're listed in the phone book.

The beekeeper at Star G Honey has been practicing the 'gentle craft' of beekeeping for 38 years... 37 of them here in northeastern New Mexico. He's usually a pretty nice guy, and extremely knowledgeable about honeybees and, in general, the flora and fauna and natural history of New Mexico and the greater Southwest. But he can sometimes be an irascable old codger and doesn't always suffer fools with any of the patience with which he keeps and tends his honeybees.

Dear Native Son,
Thank you for the very complete information about honey in northeastern New Mexico. You seem to really know your stuff--perhaps you practice the "gentle craft" yourself?

I'll get me some of that delicious sounding honey asap. I think we might like to take a field trip to Mosquero sometime soon, but in the meantime I believe I'll ask to have some sent by mail.

Would you mind if I were to quote your remarks on my blog? If you don't think that would be a good idea, I could just link to this discussion. I was planning to put together some posts on New Mexican foods and cuisine very soon.

Irascibly yours,
~clairz
Zees Go West

[Native Son]

Dear Clairz:
You may certainly quote me in your blog... provided that you will kindly correct the misspelling of irascible... that was completely unintentional... unlike my determined insistence that hollyhawks is the only correct spelling when writing about those lovely old-fashioned flowers...
Fumble-fangeredly Yours,
Native Son

[clairz]

Originally Posted by Native Son

Dear Clairz:
You may certainly quote me in your blog... provided that you will kindly correct the misspelling of irascible... that was completely unintentional... unlike my determined insistence that hollyhawks is the only correct spelling when writing about those lovely old-fashioned flowers...
Fumble-fangeredly Yours,
Native Son

Hey, I am pleased to even take part in a conversation including words like irascible. While we're analyzing, please note that I said (typed) "I'll get me some of that delicious sounding honey..." Yikes! I'm starting to talk Texan!! And I noticed the other day when talking to the cat, that when I say the word "is" it now has two syllables (eee-uz). Before you know it, I'll be tossing in "y'all" and "fixin' ta" without even thinking about it. I wonder if there's a "how to talk like a Little Texan" thread somewhere in C-D...

~clairz
in Little Texas

P.S. I'll let you know when the honey post appears. Thanks for the permission to quote.

[clairz]

Originally Posted by GregW

While we were in Deming we bought a small jar of the best honey ever. Unfortunately I have not been able to get in touch with the farm. There should bee any number of honey produces in the area. Check small grocers and farm stands.

New Mexico magazine list several fruit and honey producers

Greg, I wonder if the honey you found in Deming might be from this producer:
Mimbres Valley Honey
104 San Tomas Rd.
San Lorenzo, NM 88041
Phone: (575) 536-9772
Fax: (575) 536-9772
Email: beekeeper@gilanet.com
Web Site: Index
Raw honey & bee pollen.
Information about their products

I finally wrote up a post on this, and other local honey sources at The Zees Go West: The Search for Local Honey. You might find some helpful mail order places to get NM honey while you're still in New Hampshire, just in case you need a taste of New Mexico sunshine to fuel you up for a little more snow shoveling.

~clairz

[clairz]

I thought I'd pass this on, since even though this thread was originally about honey in eastern NM, it kind of morphed into a collection of statewide "local" honey information.

The new issue of New Mexico Magazine (Sept. 2008) has an article called "Good Buzz; Local Honey Harvest Lasts Through the Golden Days of Fall" on p. 71.

Here are the honey producers that are mentioned:

Mimbres Valley Honey Index

Sparrow Hawk Farm--Socorro Farmers Mkt on Tuesday evenings, Belen Farmers Mkt. on Friday evenings

Star G Honey--Santa Fe Farmers Mkt or email orders to starg@hotmail.com

Zia Queenbee Co.--www.ziaqueenbees.com

The article has lots of information about how honey is produced and includes some recipes. I was especially struck by this statement: Each honeybee works her entire lifetime, visiting hundreds of flowers, to make just half a teaspoon of honey.

~clairz

[TigerLily24]

Originally Posted by clairz

I thought I'd pass this on, since even though this thread was originally about honey in eastern NM, it kind of morphed into a collection of statewide "local" honey information.

The new issue of New Mexico Magazine (Sept. 2008) has an article called "Good Buzz; Local Honey Harvest Lasts Through the Golden Days of Fall" on p. 71.

Here are the honey producers that are mentioned:

Mimbres Valley Honey Index

Sparrow Hawk Farm--Socorro Farmers Mkt on Tuesday evenings, Belen Farmers Mkt. on Friday evenings

Star G Honey--Santa Fe Farmers Mkt or email orders to starg@hotmail.com

Zia Queenbee Co.--www.ziaqueenbees.com

The article has lots of information about how honey is produced and includes some recipes. I was especially struck by this statement: Each honeybee works her entire lifetime, visiting hundreds of flowers, to make just half a teaspoon of honey.

~clairz

Thanks for posting this I did want to add that I purchased some wonderful honey from these folks - they sell locally on Sundays on the Mesilla Plaza:

Sun Mountain Honey

[sjbasin]

We beekeepers appreciate the support of locals. Beekeeping is getting tougher, and those of us who are working to keep bees without the use of chemicals and other nasty stuff appreciate those who are willing to pay a little more for locally produced honey rather than that blended junk that's full of imported "stuff" that may or may not be honey. The same goes for the local growers who are raising all kinds of fruit and vegetables and meat in ways that are more sane and sustainable than some of the traditional methods. Buy fresh, buy local, eat in season. (And don't forget yer local microbrewery and winery either!!!)
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And for those of you who need ONE MORE THING to do, you might consider keeping a couple of beehives yourself. It's a rather unique hobby, and you all know that there are wonderful places in New Mexico that are just begging for a hive. Here is a link to the premier beekeeping forum

Beesource Beekeeping Forums