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State law explicitly prohibits local governments from banning backyard beekeeping
Georgia Honey Directory
Your Complete Guide to Fresh, Local Honey
Georgia’s honey scene is diverse and highly regulated to protect its vital bee industry. While the state is famous for peaches, beekeepers prize the Sourwood honey from the northern mountains and the thick, slow-to-crystallize Gallberry honey from the southern flatwoods. It also serves as a major national center for honey bee queen and package production.
What Sets Georgia Apart
Georgia Honey Scene Highlights
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One of the top 3 US states for package bee and queen production
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Famous for premium Mountain Sourwood and Southern Gallberry honey
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Diverse terrain offers completely distinct regional nectar flows
Local Varietals
Honey Types Found in Georgia
Georgia Bee & Honey Profile
State Flower
Cherokee Rose
State Bee
Honey Bee
Honey Color
Water white (Sourwood) to dark amber (Tulip Poplar)
Peak Harvest
May, June, July
Primary Nectar Plants
SourwoodGallberryTulip PoplarTupeloBlackberryCottonPeachGoldenrodAster
Georgia Bloom Calendar
Interactive year-round nectar flow guide
Peak nectar flow: April, May, June
Bloom Calendar
Seasonal Nectar Flow
Click any month on the wheel to explore local forage details.
Minimal / Baseline
Moderate Flow
Peak Nectar Flow
Peak Nectar Flow
May
Peak wild harvest in the south. Gallberry bushes in the pine flatwoods secrete thick, rich nectar.
The Georgia Honey Story
Georgia is a national powerhouse for apiculture, but its strength lies in breeding as much as honey production. Due to its mild early springs, Georgia is one of the top three states in the nation for raising and shipping package bees and queens to supply the rest of the country. For honey producers, the state offers two legendary, distinct wild flows: the thick, dark Gallberry harvest in the humid southern pine flatwoods, and the ultra-premium, water-white Sourwood flow high in the northern Blue Ridge Mountains.
Fun Fact
Under Georgia State Code (O.C.G.A 2-14-41.1), you have a protected legal right to keep bees. The law explicitly forbids any local city or county from adopting ordinances that ban beekeeping.
From the Blog
Honey Knowledge
Recipes & Culinary
Honey Syrup for Cocktails
A five-minute honey syrup that blends seamlessly into shaken and stirred drinks — all the floral depth of raw honey, none of the clumping.
By Art Marks
Recipes & Culinary
Bee's Knees Cocktail
The classic Prohibition-era gin sour, sweetened with honey syrup instead of sugar.
By Art Marks
Recipes & Culinary
Honey Hot Toddy
Whiskey, honey, lemon, and hot water — the cold-weather classic.
By Art Marks
Georgia Honey Production
By the Numbers
#14
National Rank
by honey production
2.1M lbs
Annual Honey
World Population Review / USDA NASS Data
52,000
Managed Colonies
USDA NASS / Regional Apiculture Averages
Georgia is one of the top 3 states in the U.S. for producing packaged bees and queens. Exact honey production data is often merged into the "Other States" category by USDA NASS to protect commercial breeding data.
Featured Apiaries in Georgia
Connect with these premier honey producers for the best local experience
Upcoming Honey Events in Georgia
Don't miss these exciting honey and beekeeping events in Georgia
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Beekeeping Regulations
Hive Registrationno
Backyard Beekeepingyes
Under Georgia state code (O.C.G.A 2-14-41.1), local municipalities are explicitly prohibited from banning beekeeping, providing strong protection for backyard hobbyists. Registration and licensing are only required for commercial beekeepers selling bees, queens, or providing structural bee removal services.
Associations & Resources
State Dept. of Agriculture
Apiary ProgramGeorgia Geography & Climate
Climate Zones
Humid SubtropicalUSDA Zones 6b-9a
Notable Beekeeping Regions
- •Blue Ridge Mountains
- •Piedmont Plateau
- •Coastal Plain / Pine Flatwoods
Elevation Range
Sea level to 4,784 feet (Brasstown Bald)