QUALITY CLOVER HONEY
Clover honey is honey produced by bees which feed primarily on the nectar of clover plants. It is the most abundant honey in the United States. States such as Idaho, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota produce a large amount of clover honey. Many markets stock clover honey, because consumers like the mild flavor of this honey, as well as the pleasing color it exhibits. It is also possible that it can be purchased directly from beekeepers.
The quality of clover honey is dependent on several factors. First is the floral source. Bees placed in an area of high concentration of clover will produce mostly clover honey. However, bees are allowed to roam free, they are wild after all, so beekeepers have little control over the flowers the bees choose to feed from. So, careful attention is given to determine a placement of the hives to insure that clover honey is what the bees produce.
Secondly, the handling of the honey is also very important. Many companies pasteurize their honey to reduce the risk of selling honey with potentially harmful bacteria. If the honey is pasteurized, the delicate flavor may be cooked out as well as all the important nutrients such as vitamins and minerals. Overheating the product also comes into play as a certain temperature is needed to maintain to pasteurize. Filtering of honey is also tampering with the ‘pureness’ of the honey. During the filtering process, most of the minerals and vitamins, as well as healthy pollens are removed. Removal of these healthy items leaves the honey with very little to offer. Clover honey is naturally ‘cloudy’ due to all those healthy characteristics. Next time you are in a store to purchase honey, look to see if it is completely clear or slightly cloudy.
Pure clover honey is hard to find, because bees can fly great distances in search of nectar. Clover honey from bees, who eat mostly clover, will be pale amber to almost white in color, with a subtle flavor. The honey is sold in liquid form, but it may also be ‘creamed’. If you have an opportunity to taste honey before purchase, this is highly advised, because you may find that some clover honeys taste better than others.
Cox’s Honey packages a clover honey white in color and consistent with pure honey characteristics. We scrutinize every location we place our bees as to optimize clover honey production and to minimize blending of other floral sources. Our packaging is also meticulous in nature as the processing of the honey can be detrimental to honey. Overheating, pasteurizing, and filtering are not a part of our process. Overheating can darken the honey. Pasteurizing can and will alter the nutritional value of the honey. Filtering will remove most, if not all the important health qualities of honey. We simply screen the honey to remove all foreign objects and wax. It truly is Grade A Clover Honey!
For Products, Prices, and to Purchase our Famous Clover Honey; click to go to our Honey Store.
