Hug a Farmer!!!

Staites Honey

John Staite is a beekeeper from Zephyr, Ontario. He could be found at the St. Lawrence Saturday Farmer's Market. John used to work for an outdoor center until one day he found a beehive and thought of starting a business. So he took up a crash course at The University of Guelph in Beekeeping.

John says the world relies upon pollinators like the bee, is never more evident than when you consider that between 75 & 95% of all the earth’s flowering plants require help with pollination. That’s a significant job to do and it is a job that makes wild bees, honey bees & butterflies key species –significantly relied upon to uphold our Eco system.

Staites tells of a stark reality: the bees are in decline. There are more diseases in bees now. Mr. Staites says people won’t have good fruits if we don’t have bees pollinating plants. To protect bees, he says buy products that have not been sprayed too much. They kill the bees. The future depends on sustainable agriculture. His honey bee hives are kept in back yards and rooftops. They are cared for by Urban Registered Beekeepers sustainable organic methods. The focus is on urban agriculture products created naturally with great care. Quality also matters as he doesn’t compromise flavour for volume through factory farming or international imports.

When asked why it is sustainable, John Staite says the honey is raw & natural thus making it the essence of your neighbourhood’s natural environment captured in a jar. When you buy our honeybee products you are buying from your neighbours & supporting your neighbourhood bees.

Staite's Honey use sustainable beekeeping methods, including organic treatment where necessary, and absolutely no pesticides! Our honey is unflitered and unpasteurized, so it is as close to nature as you will find.

The Products Staites Honey produces are as follows:

Wildflower Honey Sticks 5g -$0.25

Buckwheat Honey Sticks 5g -$0.24

Honey Comb 280g -$9.00

Wildflower Liquid Honey 500g -$7.00

Buckwheat Liquid Honey 500g -$8.00

Raw Wildflower Honey 500g -$8.00

Raw Buckwheat Honey 500g -$9.00

Raw Wildflower Raspberry Honey 500g -$9.00

Raw Wildflower Cinnamon Honey 500g -$9.00

Environmentally, Staites Honey does not use a lot of packaging for their products, thus not contributing to much litter or recycled waste. Socially,they have the support and approval of employees, stakeholders and the community (St.Lawrence Saturday Farmers Market) they operate in. Economically, they earn a fair profitable margin for their commodity in their market (sales were not disclosed).

This experience of meeting a farmer in person would be worth it if I got a glance at their farms. Nevertheless, it was a good experience to see a farmer, sharing his journey from farm to the market giving it a personal touch to the overall task assigned.