With spring and summer pollen harvesting on the horizon, now is the time for Chester County residents to score delicious local honey straight from the source, writes Francesca Giangiulio for Main Line Today.
The county is home to several beekeepers and their numerous beehives. Vendors sell their products at small businesses and farmers markets, offering shoppers the chance to support community farmers and small-scale agriculture.
One honey farmer, Jeff Bryer, manages 55 beehives throughout Chester County. Both a clinical psychologist and a beekeeper of over 25 years, he’s grown his operation over time, and now collaborates with other farmers to share equipment and space.
Under his label Jeff Bryer Apiary, Bryer sells his products at the West Chester Growers Market, typically on the first and third Saturdays of each month.
One collaborator, Carmen Battavio of Carmen B’s Honey, shares beekeeping land with Bryer. His products are available in retail spaces throughout the county, including Colonial Village Meat Market and Ace Hardware of West Chester.
Pursuing his childhood interest in honeybees, beekeeper Eli St. Amour manages Eli’s Honey Bees.
St. Amour produces more than 3,000 pounds of local honey annually. He sells at nearby shops, including Riverbend Press in Malvern and The Little Teapot in Phoenixville.
St. Amour also sells honeycomb and lip balm, and offers apprenticeship courses to pass on techniques to the next generation of beekeepers.
Read more about local honey vendors throughout Chester County in Main Line Today.
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