Märkischer Kreis celebrates the best honey: awards for local beekeepers!

Märkischer Kreis celebrates the best honey: awards for local beekeepers!

On October 11th, the autumn meeting of the Märkischer Kreis beekeepers' association took place in idyllic Neuenrade, an event that not only brought local beekeepers together, but also honored the best honey in the region. Around 640 members are committed to protecting honey bees and nature, and the event provided a wonderful setting to celebrate the excellent quality of local products. This year the association awarded a total of 20 gold, 26 silver and 13 bronze awards to the honeys submitted. The best five honeys at the district level particularly stood out:

• Armin Pohl (Werdohl)
• Johann Klassen (Meinerzhagen)
• Robert Breddermann (Lüdenscheid)
• Linn Boris Rohr (Meinerzhagen)
• Matthias Pohl (Werdohl)

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The certificates presented to the winners come from a nationwide honey evaluation organized by the State Association of Westphalian and Lippe Beekeepers. 69 of the 1,401 honeys submitted came from the Märkisches Kreis. This impressive number underlines the commitment of regional beekeepers and the high value of honey in the local cultural landscape.

Quality control and sustainability

The honey evaluation offers external quality control that follows the strict specifications of the German Beekeepers Association. These guidelines even exceed legal requirements. Real German honey may contain a maximum of 18% water, while up to 20% is permitted by law. This high quality standard ensures that the honeys are pure and ripe, which has a positive effect on smell and taste. In addition, the consumer benefits from consistently high quality, as every beekeeper must prove that he has the necessary know-how to meet the latest standards ([Deutscher Beekerbund](https://deutscherimkerbund.de/qualitaets Guidelines/)).

Anyone who chooses honey from the D.I.B. jar not only receives a product of the highest transparency, but also the guarantee that the honey is 100% natural and does not contain any additives or mixtures. Each glass has a control number that ensures complete traceability. Important criteria such as the hydroxymethylfurfural content (HMF) and the invertase activity provide information about the careful extraction and storage of the honey, which contributes to the high quality.

Honey in society

Honey is not only very popular in Germany, but is also one of the most frequently consumed spreads. In addition to jam and nut nougat creams, honey has a permanent place in households (Statista). Every year, Germans rely on the sweet delicacies made from flower nectar and honeydew - with a variety of varieties ranging from rapeseed to acacia.

While the number of bee colonies in Germany is continuously growing and is expected to reach around one million by 2024, beekeepers are also facing challenges such as the death of bees, which primarily affects other insect species. Supporting beekeepers is important because they play a crucial role in the ecosystem and in maintaining biodiversity (74,000 tons of honey were imported in 2024). That is why it is more important than ever to promote regional honey, which not only means short transport routes, but also contributes to sustainability (Statista).

Overall, the district beekeeping association's award ceremony shows how important the quality and origin of honey are. With a strong focus on sustainability and regional production, the beekeepers in the Märkisches Kreis set standards that have significance far beyond the regional borders.