Honey festival abuzz with activity
People came out in droves to attend the annual Honey Harvest Festival in Avondale this month.
Located inside the Avon Spirit Shipyard, which overlooks the historic Newport Landing waterfront, the venue was buzzing with activity as a steady stream of visitors made their way from vendor to vendor.
Whether on the hunt for jars of honey, wine, and beeswax candles, or interested in educational demonstrations, visitors to the festival rarely left empty-handed.
Hantsport residents Greg Pace and Elsie Wetmore, who own Halfway River Farms, provided an attractive display to greet festival goers Sept. 9, complete with fresh grown produce – like garlic and peppers – to pair with their honey.
Pace said it was the farm’s second year participating in the festival and fifth year harvesting honey.
“I took a course on all-natural beekeeping and a couple years after that is when we got our first hives,” said Pace, noting they’re poised to bottle
600 pounds of the sweet nectar this year.
“We’re amazed that people will drive from the city just to buy our honey. I think it’s a compliment. It’s not me that’s
doing the work; it’s the bees,” he said, smiling.
Pace said he doesn’t tightly manage the hives, prefering to let the bees dictate the process.
“The honey we have, there’s no aftertaste. I don’t know why it’s that way. I just keep doing what I do and it seems to work out,” he said.
Pace described the festival as “very lively” and said the historic setting is a natural draw for tourists.
Thelma and Wayne MacDonald, from Coldbrook, weren’t selling honey at the festival, rather, they were providing information on the benefits of pollinators and beekeeping. She said the people who stopped by their
display were quite interested in learning about the process and about how they can help pollinators thrive in their own backyards. Prior to becoming beekeepers, they had visited the honey festival and enjoyed the atmosphere.
The event is held on the second Saturday in September and, according to the festival’s mission, “is intended to promote and support local beekeepers and businesses, while educating the public about beekeeping practices and products.”