Oh My Dearest Honey, How Sweet Thou are

Ants are a gateway bug.

Ever since Amber can remember, superorganisms and their structures have tugged at her heart and imagination and it was her early volounteer studies at University of Calgary, studying ants, that really had her brought her into the beehive.

After starting, growing and managing her first hives in 2012, Amber knew she was onto something and began MOB (My Own Business) Honey in 2017, where she has been able to build something truly unique through beehive sponsorships that connect the community to the honeybee colony.

To Bee or Not to Bee.

As a Beekeeper, Amber is an advocate for protection and preservation of natural landscapes and the promotion of biodiverse landscapes and pesticide reduction. These are standards of pollinator stewardship which will help protect all pollinators, including our non-native honeybees and the 300 bee species native to Alberta.

MOB Honey has 100 hives all managed by Amber kept on partner farms though YYC Growers and private owners. Urban apiaries are either corporate sponsors or small plot intensive farms (SPIN farms). Jars produced in 2019 is estimated to about 6000 359g jars (6,000lbs honey)

We have a variety of small batch blends that are great in tea, on your favourite charcuterie board or spread over thick-cut sourdough! Cinnamon, lavender, ginger are the most popular while turmeric, beetroot and charcoal are colourful and fun. Savoury blends include truffle, Umami (fermented black garlic), applewood smoked and spicy. Garlic comes from Forage & Farm from Millarville and the herbs and spices are sourced from Organic Matters.

Mo Honey, Mo Problems.

One of the honey-facts that Amber loves to share is that unpasteurized honey, is still real honey. Pasturized honey becomes that squeezable liquid because it has been superheated/boiled into high-fructose syrup. It is super convenient and is what consumers are looking for, but it has had all of the micro-nutrients boiled out of it.

Amber is a big advocate for more sustainable and intensified farming that leverages data and technology, but finding ways like CultivatR to connect with consumers so that they know their food source and have a relationship with the farmers and harvesters who are looking to create food that nourishes the entire eco-system, not just to look pretty on shelves.

Put that Sweet Stuff on Everything!

Here are 6 delicious ways to bring Mob Honey onto your plate – and make sure to add a jar or two to your next CultivatR order!