Strawberries and Honey Bees: A Sweet Partnership
- Jun 17
- 5 min read
HEY SWEET FRIENDS!
We've been busy as a bee around the farm these past few weeks. It has been quite the year for swarms. So far, we have caught over 12 of them!!! We are pretty much bursting at the seams. It won't be long before our spring honey harvest is in full swing. It's hard to bee-lieve that it is almost officially summer. The weather has been bee-utiful so far and we are hoping that it was just what our ladies needed to make our bee-licious golden nectar.
When we think of summer in the Finger Lakes, few things are as iconic as fresh, juicy strawberries. Whether enjoyed by the handful, baked into desserts, transformed into jams, or infused into honey, strawberries have become a beloved symbol of the season. But behind every delicious strawberry is a hardworking pollinator helping nature do what it does best.
At Fingerlakes Honey Company, Strawberry Week is the perfect time to celebrate the special relationship between strawberries and honey bees. So grab some strawberry infused honey iced tea and read all about our latest strawberry-inspired products, try one of our featured recipes, and discover the sweet partnership between strawberries and honey bees. From our hives to your table, there's always something delicious waiting at Fingerlakes Honey Company.
Do Strawberries Need Honey Bees?
While strawberry plants are capable of self-pollination, honey bees and other pollinators play an important role in producing larger, more uniform, and better-shaped berries.
Each strawberry flower contains hundreds of tiny ovules that must be pollinated to develop into the juicy fruit we enjoy. In fact, the tiny "seeds" on the outside of a strawberry are actually individual fruits called achenes. Each one develops after successful pollination.
When honey bees visit strawberry blossoms, they help ensure more complete pollination, resulting in:
🍓 Larger berries
🍓 Better-shaped fruit
🍓 Improved quality
🍓 Increased yields for growers
Without pollinators, strawberries can become misshapen or smaller because not all parts of the flower were adequately pollinated.
A Spring Feast for Honey Bees
Strawberry blossoms are among the many flowers that provide nectar and pollen for honey bees during the growing season.
The bright white flowers appear in spring, offering valuable food resources as honey bee colonies are rapidly expanding. Worker bees gather nectar to help produce honey while collecting pollen to feed developing brood inside the hive.
Every flower visited becomes part of a much larger story—one that connects gardens, farms, pollinators, and people.
Did You Know?
Here are a few fun strawberry and honey bee facts:
🐝 A single honey bee may visit up to 5,000 flowers in one day.
🍓 The average strawberry contains about 200 seeds on its surface.
🐝 Honey bees communicate food locations through a special "waggle dance."
🍓 Strawberries belong to the rose family.
🐝 Worker honey bees are female and perform nearly all the work within the hive.
🍓 Americans consume billions of pounds of strawberries each year.
The Story Behind Strawberry Week
Here at Fingerlakes Honey Company, we love celebrating the flavors and seasons that make life in the Finger Lakes so special.
Strawberries represent the beginning of summer—farm stands opening, gardens producing, and families gathering outdoors. They remind us of homemade desserts, fresh-picked baskets, and warm afternoons spent enjoying nature's sweetness.
Just as honey bees transform flower nectar into honey, we enjoy transforming seasonal flavors into products that bring a little sweetness to everyday life.
Strawberry-Inspired Favorites
This year we're excited to feature several strawberry-inspired creations.
🍓Strawberry Infused Honey
Our newest addition combines raw honey with organic dried strawberries to create a naturally sweet infusion bursting with berry flavor. Delicious in tea, drizzled over yogurt, spread on toast, or enjoyed straight from the spoon, it's a wonderful way to enjoy the taste of summer.
🍓Honey Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
Classic strawberry jam with a healthy twist. Made from honey instead of sugar! It will bring you back to those sweet childhood memories.
🍓Honey Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
A customer favorite, our Honey Strawberry Rhubarb Jam blends sweet strawberries, tart rhubarb, and honey into a classic spread that's perfect for biscuits, pastries, and desserts.
Our Newest Strawberry Recipes-
🍓Strawberry Honey Lemonade
One of our featured Strawberry Week recipes, this refreshing drink combines fresh lemon juice and Strawberry Infused Honey for the perfect balance of sweet and tart.
🍓Strawberry Honey Overnight Oats
Looking for an easy breakfast? Our Strawberry Honey Overnight Oats combine fresh strawberries and Strawberry Infused Honey into a simple make-ahead meal that's perfect for busy mornings.
tried & True Strawberry Recipe Favorites-
🍓Jubilee's Strawberry and Honey Dog Biscuits
These Strawberry and Honey Dog Biscuits are packed with fruity flavor, a touch of natural sweetness, and a whole lot of tail-wagging goodness. Made with fresh strawberries, rolled oats, and a drizzle of Fingerlakes honey, they’re the perfect wholesome treat for your four-legged best friend.
🍓Strawberry and Spinach Salad with Honey Balsamic Vinaigrette
A fresh and vibrant spring salad with sweet strawberries, crunchy pecans, and creamy Gorgonzola, all dressed in a honey-kissed balsamic vinaigrette.
🍓Chocolate Covered Strawberry Honey Cheesecake For Two
A creamy and decadent cheesecake topped with a spoonful Fingerlakes Honey Company Strawberry Jam . This dessert combines rich, velvety chocolate cheesecake with the natural sweetness of honey and fruit, offering a sweet conclusion to your romantic meal.
If you’re planning a bee-themed bridal shower or wedding event, these strawberry chicken salad tea sandwiches are a showstopper! They’re floral, fruity, and full of color, flavor, and charm- just the right mix of fancy and fun. The honey poppy seed dressing ties it all together with a subtle sweetness that complements the fruit and chicken beautifully. Plus, their delicate size and flower shape make them a picturesque addition to any party table. You’ll be amazed how quickly these little bites disappear!
🍓Honey Strawberry Rhubarb Jam Pie
There’s something wonderfully nostalgic about a good old-fashioned jam pie, and this one brings all the cozy vibes with a Fingerlakes twist. Our Honey Strawberry Rhubarb Jam Pie takes the sweet-tart magic of our handcrafted jam and wraps it in a golden, flaky crust for a dessert that’s as comforting as it is delicious.
🍓Frozen Yogurt and Honey Jam Popsicles
Creamy vanilla Greek yogurt swirled with Fingerlakes Honey Company honey jam and frozen into fun popsicles — a naturally sweet, healthier alternative to store-bought frozen treats that’s perfect for any occasion.
Planting for Pollinators
Want to help honey bees in your own backyard?
Consider planting pollinator-friendly flowers alongside your strawberries. Some bee favorites include:
🌻 Sunflowers
💜 Lavender
🌼 Coneflowers
🌿 Bee Balm
🌸 Borage
🌺 Cosmos
🍓Strawberries
Creating a diverse garden helps provide nectar and pollen throughout the season while supporting honey bees, native bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects.
A Sweet Reminder
"The hum of bees is the voice of the garden."
While the origin of this quote is uncertain, its message perfectly captures the connection between pollinators and the beauty that surrounds us. Every strawberry picked, every flower blooming, and every jar of honey harvested begins with countless visits from hardworking bees.
As we celebrate Strawberry Week, we're grateful for the honey bees that help make so many of our favorite foods possible.
From our hives to your table, thank you for supporting local beekeeping, local agriculture, and the incredible pollinators that make it all possible.
Celebrate Strawberry Week with Fingerlakes Honey Company! Discover our newest Strawberry Infused Honey, try our featured strawberry recipes, and enjoy the sweet flavors of the season. Visit our online store and bring home a taste of summer today! Happy Strawberry Week!
🍓🐝 Have your own strawberry or honey treat recipe? We'd love to hear about it in the comments!
Until Next Time- Stay Sweet!
Tom and Stacie
Tom and Stacie, are co-owners of Fingerlakes Honey Company located in the bee-utiful Finger Lakes region of New York State. When they are not tending to all things bees, they enjoy spending time with their grown children, their dog, and lots of chickens on their homestead. They love learning more about the bees they foster and helping others to learn more about them as well.
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