FAQ
Find answers below to the most frequently asked questions. If you don’t find an answer to your question here, contact us via the form below.
Why is my cream honey too hard/soft?
After churning creamed honey we store it relatively cool to make sure it stays in its fine crystal state. In addition, when it is shipped during cooler months it may be exposed to some fairly cold temperatures on the way. Similarly, if you store the honey in a cooler pantry, or anywhere where the temperatures are cooler than room temperature, creamed honey will harden. To soften the honey, you’ll need to place it in a warmer place for a few days. However, do not expose it to direct sunlight or excessive heat or it may turn into liquid honey again!
Similarly, if your creamed honey is turning back to liquid, it has been too warm! This could happen if the honey was setting on a table or counter and exposed to direct sunlight. While we would never ship creamed honey that was partially liquid, we cannot control the fact that it could be exposed to heat during shipping, especially during summer months. If you have a container of creamed honey that is partially liquid and you want it to re-crystalize, store it at a cooler temperature (around 50 degrees fahrenheit would be ideal) for a few weeks.
Why is (or isn't) my honey crystalizing?
All pure honey will eventually granulate. The rate at which granulation occurs is dependent on the nectar source that the bees made the honey from, as well as the temperature at which it is stored. Sometimes honey will granulate in a matter of days or weeks. Other honey may stay liquid for many months or even a year or more! We harvest our annual honey crop at the same time in late summer here in Michigan and describe it as “wildflower” honey. As a consequence the honey you purchase from us might vary slightly in color and flavor. For example one jar of honey might be from Black Locust earlier in the season, while another jar might be mostly star thistle produced by the bees in July. Given this, the honey might granulate at different rates depending on what nectar the bees made it from. Most of the honey we package will begin to granulate within 3-4 months or so, some sooner, some later. If you prefer your honey in crystal form, simply place the jar on the dash of your car on a sunny day (make sure the cover is on tight) and within a few hours it will be fully liquid again. If the container is glass you could also place the container in a pan of water on your store and warm it at low heat for a few hours to liquify. Do NOT overheat or expose the honey to warm temperatures. If you prefer your honey granulated, store it at a cooler temperature. We’d recommend around 50 degrees Fahrenheit, perhaps in a cool basement storage area of cellar.
Is your honey raw?
Technically by most definitions, yes. However, raw honey is defined in a lot of different ways by consumers and beekeepers alike. We’ve provided a more definitive answer to this question in our “What is raw honey?” article, which we’d encourage you to read.
Can we pickup locally and avoid shipping costs?
Yes! You can either visit one of the nearby retail shops in the area that stock our honey or you can contact us to place your order and arrange a time to pickup at our Nunica address. Also, do be aware that orders of most products exceeding $60 ship for free!
What do I do if my honey shipment arrives damaged?
Though we try our best to pack your shipment so that it will arrive intact, occasionally it seems, the USPS will play a game of pickup football with a package. However, take a deep breath and relax! We insure all shipments up to the value of the contents of the package. In the rare event that your shipment arrives damaged, please take a look at the the instructions on our Shipping Policies and Procedures page to rectify the situation.
Do you sell nucs?
Most springs we sell a small number of nucs. Each spring we split our colonies to replace any deadouts and allow for expansion of our operation. We sell any excess bees we have (usually in late May early June) on a first-come-first-served basis. If and when we have nucs to sell we’ll announce it on our Facebook page. We absolutely will not ship nucs. All sales are for local pickup only.
Do you sell queens?
Our primary focus is to raise sufficient queens for our own operation. However, there are times (particularly in June and July) when we may have a few more queens (cells and/or mated queens) on hand then we actually need. In that case we will sell them to other area beekeepers. Don’t bank on us having queens, but if you do find yourself needing a queen in early / mid summer, feel free to reach out and see if we have any on hand. We absolutely will not ship queens – local pickup only.
Why are you called "Hudsonville Honey" when your business is based in Nunica, MI?
It’s a not so long story! We were originally based in Hudsonville, MI but moved further out in the country to our current Nunica address back in 2012. To avoid confusing our well-established customer base, we simply kept doing business with the same name. The good news is that while we have bee yards at a number of locations in Ottawa and Muskegon counties, we still produce a fair amount of honey in the Hudsonville / Georgetown area.
Do you provide custom designed labels for honey wedding / party favors?
We did provide this service for a while. However, most of our customers purchasing favors over the years have opted for further saving on cost by designing their own labels / tags so we do no longer provide these. If you don’t want to do your own, there are many creators out on Etsy and similar platforms that can create these for you for a very reasonable fee. We can definitely provide you honey favors at a reasonable price. If you are buying a larger quantity, feel free to contact us for a quote. All we need to know is which package you would like, quantity, and a zipcode if you want them shipped.
Do you sell honey gift cards?
Yes we sell eGift cards! You can purchase electronic gift cards via our online shop. The recipient will receive an email with a custom message you provide an an eGift card that can be used for purchases on this website.