Interesting discussion. Since I am retired Navy, I guess I could call my 
honey, arsenal honey :)

I think the use of the artisanal is fine. All it does is move the 
character of the honey from "common" to uncommon. The general, approved 
use of the word is the difference between skilled and unskilled workers. 
Hence, the outcome may be of higher quality, "may" being the operative 
word.

You could argue that it takes more skill to get varietal honey even if 
the truth is more in colony placement rather than any skill of the 
beekeeper or the bees. But if it brings in a few more bucks, that is 
fine. It is a harmless word (unlike organic) that makes some people add 
attributes that most of us will smile at. But, like wine, it is all in 
the taste, and if they taste something that we do not, fine. They are 
happy and we are happy.

The truth is that we sell "blueberry" and other honey that may be 
blueberry in part or in whole, since there is no way we can direct our 
bees to the pollination source. Even in a blueberry field, the lot next 
to it may have tempting nectar that easily diverts many bees. But we 
beekeepers tried to make it as pure as possible, just our bees are not 
as ethical and follow directions poorly. Obviously, not artisans.

Bill's Wildflower Artisanal Honey. Love it.

Bill Truesdell
Bath, Maine

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