Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
herbs were all on display and back-lit to emphasize their wide variations in color. The
area of handmade entries exhibited unconventional crafts illustrating anything to do
withhoneybees.Onexhibitwerecollectiblehoneypotsmadeofdelicateporcelain,clay,
and ceramic and molded into the shapes of skeps, honey bears, and honeybees. I en-
countered many original works of art that were painted with beeswax. This painting
technique, called encaustics , was used more than three thousand years ago in ancient
RomeandEgypt,butwasmadefamousbyclassicalRomano-EgyptianFayumportraits,
which today hang in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Being an artist, I was absolutely
smitten with the process of melting of beeswax, mixing it with colored pigments, and
painting with it. At future beekeeping events I would watch demonstrations and even
try my hand at a painting. For me, encaustic painting is where beekeeping meets art.
One judge told me that the English beekeepers are envious of how many different
floral sources we have in the United States, but to my great surprise, I was only one of
five Americans in attendance that session.
Once back home, I sought out a honey-judging certification at the University of Ge-
orgiasothatIcouldlearnmoreaboutthetechnicalaspectsofappreciatinghoney.Soon,
it became clear to me that people all over the world knew about honey and bees, and it
became my mission to spread the good word about honey in this country.
G RADING OF H ONEY
IntheUnitedStatescommercialhoneyisgradedbytheU.S.DepartmentofAgriculture
(USDA) according to a standard system. These standards are based upon a technical
point system that accounts for water content, flavor and aroma, clarity, and absence of
defects. Similar to the grading used for maple syrups, these grades are listed mostly on
commercial honeys found in grocery stores rather than artisanal honey purchased at a
farmstandoryourlocalbeekeeper.ThestandardsareGradesA,B,C,andSubstandard.
The most desirable is A, and the least, of course, is Substandard.
Grade-Ahoneysareclear,havegoodflavorandaromas,andarefreefromcrystalliz-
ation,airbubbles,pollen,propolis,andwaxparticles.Grade-Bhoneysareconsideredto
be reasonably clear, to have reasonably good flavor and aromas, and may have few air
bubbles,pollen,propolis,andwaxparticles.Grade-Choneysarefairlyclear,havefairly
good flavor and aromas, and are fairly clear of air bubbles, pollen, propolis, and wax
particles. Substandard is extracted honey that fails to meet the requirements of USDA
Grade C.
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