St. Joseph Abbey 'Abbee' honey returns to the shelves
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After a major setback caused by last year's flood in St. Tammany Parish, the all-volunteer honey producing operation at St. Joseph Abbey north of Covington is once again cranking out the sweet stuff. "Abbee Honey" will return to the shelves of the gift shop on the abbey campus in St. Benedict on Saturday (July 15).
Abbey beekeeper Jeff Horchoff said he and other volunteers were able to procure, process, bottle, and label over 70 gallons of honey over the past few months, despite heavy rains over that period. The popular, natural product will sell for $8.50 for a 16-ounce bottle. There will be a limit of five bottles per customer and the Abbee brand will be sold only at the monastery's gift shop, Horchoff said. All proceeds go to the abbey.
"Great news, the long awaited day will soon bee upon us," Horchoff wrote in an email announcing the honey sale.
Horchoff, a longtime volunteer in the abbey's woodworking enterprise, began producing honey at the abbey several years ago. When enough was harvested, he bottled the pure, unfiltered honey and put it on sale at the gift shop. It quickly became a hot commodity, and Horchoff soon realized that keeping the shelves stocked would be a major challenge.
After acquiring more hives, the honey producing operation was shifting into high gear when a major flood swept through the campus in March of 2016. Rising water from the nearby Bogue Falaya River put up to 2 1/2 feet of water into all 31 main buildings on the 1,200-acre campus.
The flood also destroyed 16 of the 18 hives that produced honey for operation, shutting off the supply. The abbey overall suffered some $30 million in damage, officials said at the time.
Horchoff has since acquired more hives and revamped the honey operation. Last December, the abbey dedicated the St. Ambrose Honey House, a 900-square foot processing and packaging center intended to let Horchoff step up his production efforts. It houses six pieces of modern equipment that makes it easier for Horchoff and other volunteers to extract honey from the hives and bottle it for sale.
Horchoff said he will be at the gift shop from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday to talk to customers about how the Abbee Honey is produced. There will be a tasting station where visitors can sample the project.
Abbey beekeeper Jeff Horchoff said he and other volunteers were able to procure, process, bottle, and label over 70 gallons of honey over the past few months, despite heavy rains over that period. The popular, natural product will sell for $8.50 for a 16-ounce bottle. There will be a limit of five bottles per customer and the Abbee brand will be sold only at the monastery's gift shop, Horchoff said. All proceeds go to the abbey.
"Great news, the long awaited day will soon bee upon us," Horchoff wrote in an email announcing the honey sale.
Horchoff, a longtime volunteer in the abbey's woodworking enterprise, began producing honey at the abbey several years ago. When enough was harvested, he bottled the pure, unfiltered honey and put it on sale at the gift shop. It quickly became a hot commodity, and Horchoff soon realized that keeping the shelves stocked would be a major challenge.
The flood also destroyed 16 of the 18 hives that produced honey for operation, shutting off the supply. The abbey overall suffered some $30 million in damage, officials said at the time.
Horchoff has since acquired more hives and revamped the honey operation. Last December, the abbey dedicated the St. Ambrose Honey House, a 900-square foot processing and packaging center intended to let Horchoff step up his production efforts. It houses six pieces of modern equipment that makes it easier for Horchoff and other volunteers to extract honey from the hives and bottle it for sale.
Horchoff said he will be at the gift shop from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday to talk to customers about how the Abbee Honey is produced. There will be a tasting station where visitors can sample the project.
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