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Oregon Honey Festival: A Sweet Fall Celebration

For a new festival, the Oregon Honey Festival has been creating quite the buzz in southwest Oregon. Just south of Medford, you’ll find the friendly town of Ashland and the home of the Oregon Honey Festival. Now in its second year, this unique festival looks to celebrate bees, honey, raw honey, almonds, and beekeepers. Many people tend to look at bees as an annoyance, but the truth is quite contrary to that idea. Bees are essential to our ecosystem and they help pollinate nuts, vegetables, fruits, and the flowering plants that we enjoy so much. Honey is used in many foods that we regularly consume and it's filled with vitamins, minerals, enzymes and antioxidants.

 

This festival gives you the unique opportunity to learn all about honey, meet the people who produce it, and buy some of the best honey products you can find. This festival has something for all ages, whether you're enjoying an informative presentation, taking in an exciting live exhibit or just relaxing and sampling some delicious honey. If you’re looking to begin your own beekeeping operation, this is the ideal place to begin. You’ll find all the information and professional advice you could dream of. The festival promotes a good cause with the Cascade Girl Organization that helps establish small beekeeping operations and sustainable living. Last but not least, don't forget about the Oregon Mead Festival the very next day at Grizzly Peak Winery. Learn all about honey mead, enjoy the delicious beverage, and help benefit the same cause as the honey festival.  We interviewed Event Director, Sharon Schmidt, Psy.D., about the honey festival and why people should come check it out.

 

RAL: Tell me about the festival and who attends?

SS: This is the second year of the Oregon Honey Festival. Last year we had about 250 attendees. Whereas last year attendees were mostly adults, this year we're advising people that kids eight years and under are free.

 

RAL: What makes the festival unique?

SS: This will be an opportunity to hear world class speakers, as well as learn about pollinators and honey.  Dr. Ramesh Sagili from the Oregon State University Honey Bee Lab will talk about Bee Health, Dr. Susan Kegley of the Pesticide Research Institute will set the record straight about pesticides, and Marie Simmons, award winning author of many cookbooks including "Taste of Honey", will do honey tastings. There are many additional speakers as well as a presentation of honey for sale in the Ballroom.

 

RAL: Take me through the activities of a typical day at the festival.

SS: We will have speakers in the Crystal Room and the Palm Room of the Ashland Springs Hotel at 212 E. Main St. In the Ballroom we will have honey producers from small to medium size beekeeping operations, a few larger producers, people who make Bee-Ware (hives) such as the folks from Shastina Millworks, along with presenters who will spend time talking to the public about planting for pollinators and crafters. There will also be some coloring and craft activities for kids.  We try to include people who use honey in drinks and recipes as they have some neat concoctions to sample. Marie Simmons will be doing a honey tasting several times during the day.

 

RAL: Are there any lodging specials set up for the event?

SS: Yes, the Ashland Springs offered a special of $159/night and its sister hotel, the Ashland Hills offered a special of 109/night. They may still honor that.

 

RAL: What does the festival mean to the community?

SS: The event is a statement about our interest in supporting small and medium size beekeeping operations. Generally small bee yards and backyard beekeeping means that individuals are really interested in supporting pollinators and changing our environment for the better.

 

RAL: Does the festival support any special causes?

SS: It is a benefit for the Cascade Girl Organization which is interested in supporting small beekeeping operations and saving the world...one garden at a time!

 

RAL: Why should people come to the Oregon Honey Festival?

SS: People should consider attending because they can learn about Bees and Beekeeping. Bees are an important link in the ecological chain. They really are the proverbial "canary in the coal mine". They are informing us that we need to make changes in our environmental practices so that we can turn this around, help the environment and make sure our kids will continue to have food.

 

For more festival information please visit their website.