“Handle a book as a bee does a flower, extract its sweetness but do not damage it.” -John Muir
Who? began with a few privately kept hives in the hilly region of northern Orange County. The endeavor grew as our family began to rescue hives from public parks and horse trails. Aiding the city in rescuing bees from extermination, in turn, allowed us to develop a small apiary which we placed in a sm
all citrus grove. This lead to our first single-source variety. And as research began to surface about the bee shortage epidemic, we decided to establish Massey Honey Co. in 2009, which remains family owned and operated to this day. The honey is taken directly from the hive, extracted by hand from the comb, and strained into its raw form—retaining its countless nutritional benefits, not to mention its individuality of flavor and texture. The same people who manage our bee hives also extract the honey, bottle it at a local facility, and develop relationships with our retailers. We also choose exclusively organic agricultural landscapes for our apiaries for the safety of our bees and to minimize environmental impact. All hives are kept in areas where organic growing techniques are practiced and no antibiotic or pesticides are used. And only glass jars are used in bottling. Our own apiaries are housed in Southern California. We also move apiaries to remote locations throughout California for pollination of single-source varieties and to capitalize on the unique honey profiles of singular blooming flora. On occasion, we source honey from partner beekeepers in order to extend our reach to new regions and flavors, always asking of our partners the same commitment to sustainable beekeeping practice and to pure, raw honey. And of course, it’s worth noting that raw honey is inclusive: gluten-free and inherently kosher. Why do you need to ask? For the quality! Try our wildflower variety—our most complex and distinctly Californian. In addition, we cultivate and source varieties including orange blossom, blackberry, avocado, almond blossom, alfalfa, sage, raspberry, and buckwheat. MHC honey has been used by local chefs, craft bartenders, SoCal breweries, and even in an art installation.
