Ron,
YOU ARE SO RIGHT!  What a wonderful note.

In my 68 years of beekeeping, I have never "sold" a jar of honey in my entire
life.
I SELL people the DESIRE to buy George Imirie's Honey regardless of the
price, and my prices are a LOT higher than the grocery store.  Before my
strokes, I used to sell
10,000-12,000 pounds of honey each year, mostly at Maryland Fairs or nearby
Virginia Fairs; ALWAYS with one or two Observation Hives and Marked Queens
and gift packaged honey.  Right now I am taking orders for Christmas Gifts of
8 different honeys in flavor and color each in a one ounce hex jar all
aligned in a wooden crate that I build.  This is 8 ounces of honey, the Gift
Sampler sells for $12,
so I am getting $24/pound for the honey.  I will sell several 100 of these
between now and Christmas.  My cheapest honey is $3.50 per pound.  My comb
honey is $5/pound, honey sticks are 2/35¢ or 7/$1, creamed honey is $4/12
ounces.

I, and my wife, sons, and daughter-in-law engage all customers in
conversation about honey pollination, how honey is made, not getting stung,
and the purity of honey.  I am quick to tell people "if you just want honey
at a cheap price, go to the local grocery store and pay $2.69/pound for that
jar of sweetness, but if you want quality and knowledge about the bees and
all about honey, come see George and pay the price" I have people calling me
long distance and I ship honey all over the East coast at my prices.  It
takes years to build that reputation, but is all I have now - TIME.  I still
put on 3 demonstrations per day for 9 days at our Montgomery County Fair of
opening one of several bee hives in a big screen wire cage talking about bees
and their importance to our human food because of pollination and I do this
with no protective clothing or NO VEIL just to prove that honey bees are
defensive and not aggressive if one understands bee behavior; and I have had
5 strokes and can't walk
but I can still take care of my bees.  After my demo's, they crowd my honey
house
booth to buy George's Honey "by the gallon" and at my prices.

Ron, some people buy Cadillacs, some buy Rollex watches, some buy 20 year old
premium whiskey at a high price and some go to overseas for a vacation.  They
don't compare prices at a grocery store, and people will pay a good price for
a quality honey, well packaged, and well PRESENTED.  I know of some price
complainers who
sell their honey in old pickle jars or peanut butter jars, and I laugh in
their face when I hear them bitching about the price of honey today.  Like
anything else, get off your butt, and get your mind in gear.

Sorry I get so carried away, but that is just part of my love of beekeeping
and the
success in it that I have had for over a half century.

Will I see you at EAS2000 in Salisbury in 10 days?  Please shake my hand!

George Imirie