> 
> As far as marketing honey goes, I do agree the we need to sell ourselves as much as our product. With the current "local honey" movement, many are marketing their honey based on county or even zip code of origin. It is my opinion that this type of marketing works well for the beekeeper who just has a few hives and offers just one or 2 varieties. I also feel that it often hampers beekeepers who grow their business to where they may try for harvest of other varieties. I harvest blueberry,raspberry, buckwheat,and blackberry here on the island.
I get fireweed,maple and meadowfoam off island. I have often have customers who refuse to even try the last 3 because "they are not local".
I know many beekeepers who have remote yards. I feel the current fad of market "local honey" is shortsighted and limiting. I feel a better tactic would be to market the local beekeeper and give people a connection to the business that produces the honey. Getting customers to try the types of honey we produce with their vastly differing tastes goes far to having customers who look to you for quality honey. Why use limit yourself by using the term local, which really has no set definition in terms of honey?
Dave Neel
Island Apiaries
             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html

Guidelines for posting to BEE-L can be found at:
http://honeybeeworld.com/bee-l/guidelines.htm