Honey & Beekeeping

Over the past decade Isles’ Urban Ag team have managed a collection of beehives as part of our yearly harvest.  Our beehives produce nearly 400 pounds of honey each year, attracting insects that teach us the importance of resiliency and preservation.  Bees are keen to Trenton’s diverse nectar and pollen sources, making the city and surrounding areas a suitable environment for producing and cultivating honey.  Unlike farm areas with acres of single crops, Trenton has wildly disparate plants, trees, flowers, and shrubs (even invasive species) that offer bees plenty of unique and beneficial options.  You can read this piece by Marty Johnson and Jim Simon about urban beekeeping.  

These methods of harvesting led us to the next logical move: sharing our teachings and this tasty product with others!  We’ve competed in the NJ Beekeeper’s Association annual Honey Show, and have taken home first place in the Black Box category–a division that consists of a blind taste test for different qualities.  Beekeepers from around the state enter honey and other bee-related products in 23 different classes which are then evaluated by a professional judge.

We then began packaging our honey to distribute to local businesses in Trenton, and our honey has become a staple at the Greenwood Ave. Farmer’s Market (opened from June-October.)   

Want a Jar of Honey?

See the list below for places to buy our award-winning honey:

Honey is also available on a limited basis during donor tours of the Social Profit Center.  Interested in scheduling a tour?  Contact [email protected].