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The first jars of our 2026 raw honey are here.
The supply is small for now. More will arrive as we continue harvesting and bottling over the coming weeks.
That is how a real honey harvest works.
It does not arrive all at once. It follows the flowers, the weather, the strength of the colonies, and the time the bees need to finish their work.
The bees set the pace. We bottle the results.
Raw honey is honey kept close to the form in which it comes from the hive.
At Backed By Bees, our goal is simple: preserve the flavour, colour, texture, and character created by the bees and the landscape around them.
Raw honey is not designed to look or taste exactly the same every time.
Its qualities can shift from one harvest to the next because the season shifts too.
Different flowers.
Different weather.
Different forage.
Different honey.
That variation is not a problem to solve.
It is part of the story.
Honey begins with flowers.
Bees collect nectar from whatever is blooming within their foraging range. The plants available to them help shape the honey’s aroma, colour, and flavour.
Weather matters too.
Rain can affect bloom. Heat can shorten or extend a flowering period. Dry conditions can change how much nectar is available. Every season creates a slightly different set of conditions for the bees.
That means raw honey can carry a recognizable sense of place and time.
A jar is not simply “honey.”
It is a record of what was blooming, where the bees travelled, and what the season gave them.
Because we have only just started.
Honey is harvested in stages as frames become ready and as colony conditions allow. We also consider what the bees need before removing honey from a hive.
The first bottling is therefore smaller than what will be available later in the harvest.
More honey is coming.
We are not creating artificial scarcity. We are sharing the harvest at the pace it arrives.
Small batch. Big process.
Bees collect nectar from flowers and carry it back to the hive.
Inside the colony, the nectar is passed among worker bees and placed into honeycomb cells. The bees gradually reduce its moisture and continue working it until the honey is ready to store.
They then seal the cell with wax.
For a beekeeper, capped honey is one of the clearest signs that the bees have completed their part of the process.
Only then does harvesting begin.
A hive is a living system, not a production line.
Colonies develop at different rates. Local forage varies. Weather changes. Some frames are ready before others.
Harvesting in stages allows us to respond to what is actually happening in each hive instead of forcing every colony onto the same schedule.
That requires more observation.
More patience.
And sometimes, more waiting.
But ready beats rushed.
The best way to answer that is to taste it.
Raw honey can reveal different notes to different people. One person may notice something floral. Another may describe it as bright, rich, delicate, or deeply sweet.
There is no single correct tasting note.
Try it slowly.
Notice the colour first. Then the aroma. Let a small spoonful rest on your tongue before deciding what it reminds you of.
Honey tasting is another way to pay attention to the landscape.
Raw honey is easy to bring into everyday food and drink.
Try it:
spread on toast or warm biscuits
spooned over yogurt or oatmeal
paired with cheese
added to salad dressings
used in baking
stirred into tea after it has cooled slightly
tasted directly from the spoon
Or keep it simple.
Good bread. Raw honey. Done.
It can.
Crystallization is a natural change in texture. Some honey crystallizes quickly, while other batches remain liquid longer.
The rate can vary depending on the honey itself and how it is stored.
Crystallized honey is still useful and easy to enjoy. Many people prefer its thicker, spreadable texture.
Keep honey sealed and stored at room temperature in a dry place.
There is usually no need to refrigerate it. Cooler storage can encourage crystallization and make the honey firmer.
Use a clean, dry utensil when serving it and close the lid securely afterward.
Our honey begins in real Ontario landscapes.
Flowers provide nectar. Bees gather it. Colonies transform it. Beekeepers observe, care, and wait.
Only then does the honey reach the jar.
That flower-to-hive-to-bottle journey is what makes raw honey more than a sweetener.
It gives us a way to taste a living system.
The first jars of our 2026 raw honey are available now in limited quantities.
More will be harvested and bottled as the season continues.
Taste this first batch now, or follow along as the rest of the harvest arrives.
The bees set the pace.
Shop the First 2026 Raw Honey Harvest
Raw honey is intended to stay closer to its hive form, with minimal handling designed to preserve the character of the harvest. Processing practices can vary between producers, so check the product description or ask the beekeeper how the honey was prepared.
No. Colour, texture, aroma, and flavour may vary between harvests because honey reflects changing flowers, weather, forage, and hive locations.
The first supply is limited because harvesting has only just begun. More honey will be bottled as additional frames and colonies are ready.
Yes. Crystallization is a normal change in honey’s texture and does not mean the honey has spoiled.
Our raw honey comes from colonies connected to Ontario landscapes. Add the exact hive region or sourcing description here if you want this answer to target local searches more precisely.
We will continue harvesting and bottling as the season progresses. Availability will increase as more frames are ready.
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