On a hike across Long Island half a dozen years ago, Charles Burrows got stung. Not by a bee — by the idea of keeping them. Now 64, Burrows runs Charlie Bee Farms, producing raw organic honey from the wildflowers that bloom across the Bahamian scrubland.
The global honey market was valued at roughly $500 million in 2017 and is projected to reach around $910 million by 2025.
This article takes you inside the tradition — where to find Bahamian wildflower honey, how to buy it straight from a beekeeper, and what makes it different from the processed jars on supermarket shelves. Whether you’re planning a trip to the Out Islands or just curious about where your honey comes from, this is the side of the Bahamas most visitors never taste.
You can buy raw honey from Charlie Bee Farms through its Facebook page, and visitors to Long Island can sometimes arrange a farm visit. But this is a working one-man operation, not a tourism attraction — expect a genuine, unpolished encounter with a craft that’s still finding its footing in the Bahamas.
Food travellers
Eco-conscious visitors
Solo & couple explorers
| Tradition/Site | What It Is | Where | Etiquette Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlie Bee Farms | Raw organic honey, bees, and related products from a family-run operation | Long Island, The Bahamas | Contact via Facebook first — working farm, not a walk-in shop |
| Bahamian Wildflower Honey | Unprocessed honey from native wildflowers, sold raw and unfiltered | Available from Charlie Bee Farms and select local outlets | Store at room temperature; raw honey crystallises naturally |
| Bahamas National Beekeepers Co-Operative | Beekeeper co-op formed to market products and secure supplies for members | Various islands across the Bahamas | Ask about co-op members when buying honey — supports local keepers |
| Beekeeping & Ecological Tradition | Small-scale beekeeping that supports pollination and biodiversity across the archipelago | Throughout the Bahamas, especially the Out Islands | Respect hives, avoid pesticides, and buy raw to support the practice |
Charlie Bee Farms: One Beekeeper, One Island, One Mission
Charles Burrows didn’t set out to be a honey producer. He discovered beekeeping after a hike on Long Island, and the passion stuck. Today his operation, Charlie Bee Farms, produces raw organic honey and also sells bees and related equipment. Until the Bahamian honey industry matures, Burrows earns most of his income from bee extractions — removing unwanted hives from homes and attics across the island.
The Bahamas has dozens of islands, each with its own flowering seasons, and Burrows believes the archipelago has major potential for a honey industry that could rival imported products. Foreign visitors regularly order honey through his Facebook page after tasting it during their stay. If you’re travelling to Long Island, it’s worth checking whether he has jars available before you arrive — supply is limited by season and colony health.
What Makes Bahamian Wildflower Honey Different
Most honey on supermarket shelves has been heated and filtered to prevent crystallisation and extend shelf life. Bahamian raw honey from Charlie Bee Farms is neither — it’s taken straight from the comb, strained to remove debris, and bottled. That means it retains the enzymes, pollen, and flavour compounds that processing destroys. The result is a honey that tastes different depending on which wildflowers were blooming when the bees collected.
The flavour profile shifts with the season and the location of the hives. Hives placed near coastal scrub produce a different honey than those set deeper inland near acacia and lignum vitae. Burrows doesn’t blend batches, so each jar carries the signature of a specific time and place. If you’re used to uniform supermarket honey, the variation can be surprising — and that’s the point.
Search for the page and send a message asking about available honey. Burrows typically responds within a day. Mention whether you’re on Long Island or visiting, so he can advise on pickup or delivery options.
Ask what’s currently in season — wildflower honey varies by bloom. Prices are set per jar; expect to pay a premium for raw, local honey compared to imported supermarket brands. Payment is typically cash on pickup.
If you’re on Long Island, Burrows can often meet you at a central point or deliver to your accommodation. For visitors on other islands, check whether shipping is possible — the co-operative is working on wider distribution, but it’s not yet reliable for out-of-island orders.
Raw honey crystallises naturally over time — that’s a sign it’s unprocessed, not spoiled. To liquefy it, place the sealed jar in warm water (not boiling) for a few minutes. Never microwave raw honey; it destroys the beneficial enzymes.
The Co-Operative and the Future of Bahamian Beekeeping
Earlier this year, local beekeepers formed the Bahamas National Beekeepers Co-Operative, a collective aimed at marketing bee products locally and securing supplies and rebates for members. For a tradition that has operated mostly in isolation — one beekeeper per island, each working alone — the co-op represents a shift toward coordination and shared standards.
The need is real. Beekeepers in the United States have lost up to 40 percent of their colonies due to colony collapse disorder, a phenomenon linked to pesticide use. The Bahamas, with its relatively low agricultural chemical use and island isolation, could offer a refuge for healthier bee populations. But the industry is still small, and most honey consumed in the Bahamas is imported. The co-op’s goal is to change that by making local honey easier to find and more competitive on price.
Percentage of US bee colonies lost to colony collapse disorder, a threat linked to pesticides that the Bahamas’ island geography may help mitigate.
For visitors, the co-op means that the honey you buy from a member beekeeper supports a broader effort to build a sustainable local industry. It also means more consistency in quality and labelling as the group develops standards. If you’re island-hopping and want to try honey from different islands, the co-op is the best place to start asking around.
Honey labelled “Bahamian” in souvenir shops isn’t always local. Some imported honey is repackaged with Bahamian labels. To guarantee you’re getting real Bahamian wildflower honey, buy directly from a beekeeper like Charlie Bee Farms or from a co-op member you can verify.
Practical Tips for Visiting Bahamian Beekeepers
Beekeeping in the Bahamas isn’t a tourist circuit — there are no honey-tasting rooms or welcome centres. But if you’re willing to do a little legwork, the experience of meeting a beekeeper and tasting honey straight from the comb is unlike anything a shop can offer. Here’s what you need to know before you go.
Getting to Long Island
Long Island is one of the Out Islands, reachable by a short flight from Nassau or by mail boat from the capital. Flights with Bahamasair and other regional carriers run several times a week. If you’re planning a dedicated trip to visit Charlie Bee Farms, it’s worth combining with other Out Island experiences — the island’s beaches, caves, and limestone cliffs are among the most dramatic in the Bahamas. For more ideas on building an Out Island itinerary, this guide to the Out Islands’ untamed beauty covers the landscape and logistics you’ll want to know before you go.
Where to stay
Long Island has a handful of small hotels, rental villas, and guesthouses, most concentrated around Stella Maris and Deadman’s Cay. Because the island is long and narrow (roughly 100 kilometres from north to south), where you stay determines how easy it is to reach Burrows’ operation. If you’re still weighing which side of the island to sleep on, this interactive map of the island’s hotels and rentals makes it easier to compare against the beekeeper’s location and the trailheads you’ll want to hit.
What to bring
If you’re planning to visit hives, wear closed-toe shoes, long pants, and a light long-sleeve shirt. Bees are generally calm around their keeper, but sudden movements and dark clothing can agitate them. A hat with a brim helps. If you want to document the experience, consider bringing a compact camera with decent stabilisation — the light on Long Island is bright and the landscape is open. For filming hive work or the surrounding wildflower fields, a small drone with a 4K HDR camera gives you angles you can’t get from the ground, and the three-battery setup means you can shoot across multiple locations without scrambling for a charge.
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Before You Go: Bahamian Beekeeping Questions Answered
Can I visit a beehive operation in the Bahamas?
Yes, but it’s not a standard tourism activity. Charlie Bee Farms on Long Island is the most accessible option, and you need to contact Burrows through Facebook ahead of time. Be prepared for a working farm environment — no gift shop, no tasting room, just a beekeeper who loves what he does.
Is Bahamian wildflower honey safe for kids?
Raw honey is not recommended for infants under one year due to the risk of botulism. For older children and adults, raw Bahamian honey is perfectly safe and often contains more beneficial enzymes than processed honey. Lily loved drizzling it on fresh bread during our stay.
How much does local honey cost compared to imported?
Local raw honey from a beekeeper typically costs more than imported supermarket honey — expect to pay a premium for the labour, small-batch production, and the fact that it’s unprocessed. The co-operative is working to bring prices down as volume increases, but for now, consider it a specialty purchase.
What’s the best time of year for honey in the Bahamas?
Honey flow varies by island and rainfall. Generally, the late dry season (March to May) and early wet season (June to August) produce the most varied wildflower blooms. If you’re visiting in winter, there may still be honey available from the previous season’s harvest, but selection is thinner.
Can I bring Bahamian honey back home?
Yes, solid honey is generally allowed through customs in most countries, but check your destination’s rules on agricultural products. Raw honey in a sealed jar is typically fine for personal use. If you’re flying out of the Bahamas, pack it in your checked luggage to avoid the liquid carry-on limit.
Honey That Tastes Like the Island It Came From
What makes Bahamian beekeeping worth seeking out isn’t the volume — it’s the specificity. Each jar of Charlie Bee Farms honey carries the signature of a particular island, a particular season, and a particular set of wildflowers that will never bloom in exactly the same combination again. In a world where most food is engineered for uniformity, that kind of place-specific taste is increasingly rare. If you’re looking for a way to bring a piece of the Bahamas home that goes beyond a keychain or a T-shirt, this is it. And if you’re planning a trip that goes deeper than the resort pools, this guide to affordable Bahamas adventures will help you stretch your time and your budget further across the islands.
References
Burrows, Charles. “Bahamian stung by passion for bees.” The Nassau Guardian, 2021. ↗
United Nations. “Bees and Pollination.” UN Environment Programme, 2021. ↗
Market Watch. “Global Honey Market Report.” 2017. ↗
If you’re still piecing together your Bahamas itinerary, the night-kayaking trip through bioluminescent bays is a completely different kind of magic — this guide to paddling under the stars covers what to expect and when to go. For a more adrenaline-heavy day, the shark-diving scene around the Out Islands offers encounters that are nothing like the tourist version — this thrill-seeker’s diving guide breaks down the sites and safety realities. And if you’re travelling with kids who love animals, the stingray excursions around the cays are gentle enough for younger swimmers — this stingray swimming guide has the practical details you’ll need before you book.
Explore Places to Stay in the Bahamas
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