The only thing sweeter than the tupelo honey made by local beekeepers J.M. and Frieda Sikes might be having it deemed the best tasting honey in Georgia.
That’s exactly what judges at the annual Young Harris Beekeeping Institute’s Honey Show deemed the Sikes’ homemade honey on May 11, when they were awarded the blue ribbon in the “black jar” category, which is based solely on taste.
“Everybody puts (their honey) in a black jar, and they pick out the best tasting and it happened to be ours,” J.M. Sikes said. “I liked to have fell down when they said we won.”
Frieda Sikes said she was just as surprised.
“It was cool, man,” she said. “It was a surprise.”
The couple, owners of Richmond Hill Bee Company, entered their tupelo honey into the black jar category, one of 14 classes in the show.
J.M. Sikes said he was honored their honey was chosen out of the many varieties entered in the category, especially northern honey producers.
“We were real happy because up in the northern area it’s hard to win,” he said, adding their honey was the first produced this far south to take home the title.

Read more in the May 19 edition of the News.