Last Updated on April 18, 2023
Did you know that Florida is home to more than 300 species of bees that assist in pollination and ecosystem health? Florida’s honey bees are a beautiful part of Florida.
Honey bees were brought to America from Europe in the early 1600s and are now beneficial to the growth of crops like blueberries, strawberries, squash, avocado, watermelon, cucumbers, and also onions.
About three out of every four crops in Florida rely on honey bees for pollination.
Currently, Florida has almost 5,000 registered beekeepers with more than 650,000 honey bee colonies. An entire chapter of the Florida Statutes discusses laws governing beekeeping regulation, including a registry that all beekeepers with hives must also join.
Florida’s Honey Bees
Since honey bees are so important to crops, this organization has the power to inspect hives and order them to be quarantined or destroyed if necessary.
Unfortunately, honey bees also have many potential risk factors, including pressure from monoculture agriculture, risk of pesticide exposure, pests and parasites, forage, nutrition, and management.
What Can You Do To Save Florida’s Bees? #BeeTheSolution
- Plant a garden with bee-friendly plants that are rich in pollen and nectar
- Go chemical-free in your yard products and use natural solutions instead of pesticides
- Plant a tree with blossoms for a great food source and also nesting material
- Create a bee bath from a birdbath with stones for resting, so bees can take a drink of water
- Teach your children, the next generation, the importance of honey bees for our ecosystem
- Support local beekeepers by purchasing locally-made honey and beeswax products
If you want to learn more about where you can also find the best Florida honey and bee products, check out our adventures going on a Florida honey-taste testing mission.
Interesting in becoming a Florida Beekeeper? Watch the webinar below:
Other resources:
- Honey Bee Protection in Florida
- Keeping Bees in Florida
- The Honeybee Conservancy
- Plant Bee Foundation
- Bee Well Honey Farm
- Ultimate Guide to Beekeeping
The Winter Garden Honey Farm
If you’re in the Winter Garden area, a stop at the Winter Garden Honey Farm in Orange County is something you won’t want to miss.
This family-run farm produces some of the finest honey in the country, and they offer a variety of different kinds for sale.
Their Raw Honey is 100% pure, with nothing added or taken away, and no high-heat or force-filtering techniques used. What you buy is exactly what the bees make!
They also offer tours of their facility, so you can see how they make their honey and learn a little bit about the process. If you are interested in a tour, give them a call at 407-454-0866.
The Winter Garden Honey Farm is a self-service store with surveillance cameras watching every inch of the store. They are open every day from 7 am to 7 pm. Make sure you bring cash or a check. They also accept Zelle.
The farm is located at 9816 Tower Pine Dr. Winter Garden, FL 34787.
Whether you’re looking for a delicious treat or an educational experience, the Winter Garden Honey Farm is definitely worth a visit. While in the area, don’t miss these fun things to do in Winter Garden: A Charming City with a Juicy Past.
After the Bears Who Care 5K Fun Run and Walk, we always make sure to stop at the Winter Garden Honey Farm.
Looking for more buzz on honey and Florida’s honey bees? Check out:
- Authentic Florida Wildflower Honey Granola Recipe
- Orange Blossom Honey & Buttermilk Pie
- Test-Tasting Authentic Florida’s Honey
- Nothing Beats Fantastic Florida Farmers Markets
We also recommend listening to The Zest Podcast from WUSF: