Meet The Beekeeper — Alla

At Radical Honey, we want to connect our subscribers to the food producers we feature on our site. We believe that understanding where our food comes from is meaningful and knowing our food producers helps make us feel more connected to what we eat. In keeping with our mission, we would like to introduce you to Alla, our first featured beekeeper!

Alla, head beekeeper at The San Francisco Apiary, began producing honey because of her admiration for bees. “I’m obsessed with bees… my passion is raising queens. This is what I love.” As a bee enthusiast, Alla takes pride in the fact that her apiary does not use any chemical treatments. “I keep my bees clean,” she explains.

She’s also very passionate about San Francisco, and how the climate and environment influences her honey. “Surrounded by astounding beauty, and being one of the world’s most unique environments, San Francisco is an eternal garden city perfect for creating remarkable honey from the delicate microclimates and unique flora.” San Francisco is home to 50 different species of Eucalyptus that blossom at different times for almost 10 months of the year. Because of this, San Francisco Honey is very special — with a light amber color and a creamy texture — truly delicious.

“Urban honey is the best,” according to Alla, because of the diverse collection of plants near the hives. The bees in SF have more exotic choices for nectar, and the daily fog helps keep an abundant supply. Because of these factors, honey from San Francisco typically crystalizes more rapidly. This is a naturally occurring phenomenon that transforms honey from a liquid to a semi-solid state without deterioration. As a result, the honey consistency is more of a spread, as opposed to the droopy honey we’re more familiar with.

Alla calls her honey “The Golden Healer,” because unadulterated, natural honey is its own type of therapy. Every jar contains some of the honeycomb, which is the purest, rawest honey we can have. She believes that we have lost the knowledge of good honey, and she is determined to reintroduce that wisdom to us while also doing what she loves. Become a subscriber, and see for yourself what all the buzz is about!