Comb honey with instructions attached

While the rest of the world is gaga over the Flow hive, die-hard comb honey fanatics like me still wonder why anyone would do that to honey. Like rum without Coke, macaroni without cheese, or fish without chips, honey without the comb is unthinkable. Some couples are just meant to be.

So whenever I give comb honey to someone who’s never eaten it, I babble incessantly, describing how to eat it and how to pair it. But the recipients can’t remember. Once home, they stare, perplexed, at the strange object in their kitchen. I can just imagine the conversation:

“She didn’t mean we should eat the wax thingy, did she?”
“No way! Just the honey, I think.”
“But how do I get it out?”
“Squeeze it, maybe?”
“I can’t understand why she didn’t take it out. That’s what beekeepers do, isn’t it?”

Well, you get the idea. Not good.

For many years I wanted to include a little set of instructions with my comb honey, but I couldn’t decide on a format. Postcard? Brochure? Flyer? It all seemed like too much paperwork for one small chunk of honey. After all, food that comes with footnotes, schematics, and part numbers can be off-putting.

Then one day Gretchen, a beekeeper in my area, told me about a label she designed to fit on the lid of a mason jar. I cottoned to the idea of a tiny label, so I asked her to send me the text. Turns out, I was really impressed with her wording, short and to the point, but when I asked if I could use it on my own label, she sheepishly admitted, “I stole it from you.” Oh dear. That lapse of memory worried me so much I put the project on hold.

Honey with instructions

A couple of years passed before I finally decided to start over. I consolidated the instructions onto a business card, front and back, and then had them printed on heavy, glossy cardstock with rounded corners.

They came out great. You can stick them on with tape, slide them into the container, punch a hole through and tie them to a jar with ribbon or raffia, or include them with your business card. The information is there without being the main event. So far, they are working out well.

Feel free to use the idea, the wording, or both to create your own personal honeycomb cards and then let me know how it worked.

Rusty
Honey Bee Suite