How far till it is not considered local honey?

It's based on individual perception. I sell honey all over the North Country. I was at a Arts and Crafts Show. A woman wanted to know how close my closest yard was to where she lives because she had heard that local honey is beneficial for people who have allergies (which she didn't have). I said, "About 15 or 20 miles away from here." She said, "That's too far.". And walked away. I think she wanted it from her back yard.

But the cabbages in our grocery store are sold as local when they are from 300 miles away.

So, who knows.

Why, are you selling honey a distance from your home?

Around here, it is usually accepted as "Local" if it comes from within a 50 mile radius.


I have heard many people describe things as "Local area" within 50 miles and "immediate area" within 10 miles.

Big Bear

I was wondering because I am doing a little recon to see where I can possibly sell honey (if I get any next year) and how far I can sell local honey and it still be called local.

If you sell it where you live, it will be local. If you travel very far away from home it is less so. So don't call it local when you go on the road. I have on my label "Natural North Country Honey". The North country is a region. One hundred miles away is stretching it as far as local is concerned, for some people. But realistically, there isn't much difference in what the bees forage on.

I always explained to my customers that, when it comes to honey, it has more to do with the type of flowers the bees are collecting nectar from. For example, most of our honey is made from sweet clover but, if I was collecting honey in, say Texas, I would not be collecting sweet clover honey.

Most people want "local" honey because it can help their allergies and hayfever. Well, if my bees are making sweet clover honey in South Dakota and Nebraska, then the honey is going to have the same types of pollen.

That usually satisfies most customers and they will buy the honey.

I sell my local honey in 3 different states.

Exactly. We sold our local honey in two different states.

Thanks Guys!! I was worried if I went to the next town 20 miles away it would be too far. So that works out great.

You could make little stickers that say 'Produced by free range bees in Caryville, Florida" -

Brenton said:

I was wondering because I am doing a little recon to see where I can possibly sell honey (if I get any next year) and how far I can sell local honey and it still be called local.

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Trust me: you won't have any problem selling your honey .... this is the first year that I offered honey for sale - and only to a very small circle of friends and co-workers; I ran out in a few days! Good thing I put some back for family --

markmaster said:

Trust me: you won't have any problem selling your honey .... this is the first year that I offered honey for sale - and only to a very small circle of friends and co-workers; I ran out in a few days! Good thing I put some back for family --

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Yep.... selling out as fast as I can extract it!
Local Honey is hot. Never had a clue how many people had honey jars on the counter until they heard the the guy down the road has local honey.