A pair of Creston-based honey makers are abuzz after their products earned them first place at the North American Honey Show and the American Honey Show.
The owners of Honey Bee Zen and Swan Valley Honey, Amanda Goodman Lee and Jeff Lee brought home several accolades for their honey.
They earned first place for their creamed and Fireweed honey varieties at the American Honey Show in New Orleans, Louisiana.
“We got a perfect score on our creamed honey, which is highly unusual, it’s very rare when that happens,” said Amanda Goodman Lee. “When the judges send us our scorecard, that will be framed and put up in our honeyhouse.”
The Lees also earned Best In Show for their creamed honey, which it was judged against products in all other honey categories.
“The judges, when they were selecting the Best in Show, told us they kept coming back to our creamed honey,” said Goodman Lee. “The main judge said he had not had honey like that in over 20 years.”
In Louisville, Kentucky, the Lees were recognized for their cranberry-orange infused creamed honey, bringing home first place in the Creamed Honey Infusions category and Top of Class.
“I wanted to think of something different that what other people might have submitted. I have never entered a honey infusion contest, and I thought the cranberry orange was pretty unique,” said Goodman Lee.
She said competition at honey shows can be very stiff.
“At the one show, there were over 1,100 entries. At the North American Honey Show, there are some people who have been entering these contests for 20 years,” said Goodman Lee. “Sometimes in these competitions, the difference between first and second will be a fingerprint on the jar. It can be really intense.”
Goodman Lee said she is proud of their performance.
“It feels so good because we all work really hard, our employees work hard and so do our bees,” said Goodman Lee. “It was a really lovely reward. It was really validating and the love for what we do shone through with the award.”
The Lees moved to Creston in 2017, and Honey Bee Zen and Swan Valley Honey products sell in over 40 stores across B.C., including Creston, Cranbrook, Nelson, Trail, Kelowna and Vancouver.
“I think these awards show what our valley and our little town of Creston has to offer,” said Goodman Lee. “We are really proud to come from here.”