The Annual Honey Show and Honey Cookery Show is funded, in part, by a generous grant provided by the Maryland Agricultural Fair Board.
Important Links:
General Rules
- Entries will be accepted from 8:15 a.m. until 9:00 a.m. on the day of the show. Entries must remain in place until released by the show chairman at the end of the show.
- Entries will be accepted from anyone attending the MSBA meeting (MSBA members and non-members). Entries from exhibitors not present at the MSBA meeting (entries brought to the show by someone else) will only be accepted if the exhibitor is a MSBA member. MSBA Membership can be gained instantaneously via MSBA's website http://mdbeekeepers.org/, but must be completed prior to submitting entry.
- Only one entry will be allowed in each class from any household, partnership or beekeeping establishment.
- The exhibitor will select the class for his/her entry. (Assistance will be provided in selecting the correct class when making entries). The chairman of the show reserves the right to make a final determination and change, if necessary, entry classes. Classification of sweet and dry mead may be changed by judges (correct classification may be determined by chemical tests after the bottles of mead are opened).
- No exhibitor's name or label will be allowed on any entry except in designated classes.
- The decisions of judges are final. Judges may withhold prizes for insufficient merit or award a lower prize at their discretion. Entries that do not comply with the rules or class description may be disqualified.
- The show chairman reserves the right to adjust any class and/or premiums offered. (For example: if sufficient en tries are made for one stated color class for extracted honey to create two color classes, then two separate classes would be created with appropriate ribbons and cash awards).
- Competition between local bee clubs is encouraged. An award will be presented to the local bee association whose members earn the highest number of points based on the number of quality products entered in the show. The following point system will be used: 1st prize - 3 points, 2nd prize - 2 points, 3rd prize - 1 point. If clubs are tied, the 1st place winner will be the club with the most 1st place awards in the show. If a tie still exists, the club with the most exhibits in the show will win.
Premium list
Individual Classes: Ribbon and Cash Award
Division Champion: Ribbon and Cash Award
Best in Show: John V. Lindner Award
Best Club Showing: Plaque
Prize Premiums 1st $12; 2nd $9; 3rd $6; 4th $4; 5th $2
Division I HIVE PRODUCTS
- All entries must be the product of the exhibitor's bees and have been produced within a 12 month period prior to entry.
- All honey exhibited must have been gathered and ripened in a natural way by honey bees.
- An entry consists of 1 jar, container, frame, block, etc.
- All extracted, chunk and finely granulated honey, and pollen pellets must be exhibited in 1 lb. glass or clear plastic, "Queenline" or "Classic", jars, except Class 1. Beekeepers entering the first time in Class 1 only may exhibit honey in 1 pint or 1 quart glass canning jars or 1 lb. glass or plastic honey jars.
Extracted Honey - Beekeepers entering for the first time
CLASS 1 Extracted Honey
Extracted Honey - Beekeepers with 10 colonies or less
CLASS 2 Extracted Honey - Water White thru Extra Lt.
CLASS 3 Extracted Honey - Lt. Amber
CLASS 4 Extracted Honey - Amber thru Dark Amber
CLASS 5 Extracted Honey - Dark
Extracted Honey - Beekeepers with 11 colonies or more
CLASS 6 Extracted Honey - Water White thru Extra Lt.
CLASS 7 Extracted Honey - Lt. Amber
CLASS 8 Extracted Honey - Amber thru Dark Amber
CLASS 9 Extracted Honey - Dark
Open to all
CLASS 10 Comb Honey - Square Section
CLASS 11 Comb Honey - Round Section
CLASS 12 Cut Comb Honey in clear plastic box
CLASS 13 Chunk Honey in wide mouth 1 Lb. jar
CLASS 14 Finely Granulated Honey in regular or wide mouth 1 Lb. jar
CLASS 15 One Shallow or Full Depth Frame Honey - must be protected with plastic wrap or suitable container
CLASS 16 Beeswax Block, 2 lbs. minimum
CLASS 17 Dry Pollen Pellets in 1 Lb. honey jar
Division Champion: Ribbon $15.00
Division I Total: $576.00
Division II ARTS AND CRAFTS
- All entries must have been made or produced by the exhibitor.
- Label for Honey Container - One marketable container of honey, any size, any form, WITH LABEL designed by the exhibitor and affixed to the container. The container, unless opaque, must contain honey. Commercial stock labels are prohibited. Apiary and/or exhibitor name is permitted on the label.
- President's Prize - Any creative or artistic endeavor prominently featuring the honey bee, beekeeping or pollination.
- Photography - A single black and white OR color print 5" x 7" minimum, suitably framed or mounted, pertaining to beekeeping.
- Equipment or Gadget - Any original tool or equipment useful in beekeeping. A written description giving details of construction, materials, cost and labor MUST ACCOMPANY THE ENTRY.
- Honey Wine - Entries must be a least 12 months old and shall be exhibited in unlabeled standard 750 ml or "fifth" wine bottles. Exhibitor must state whether entry is straight (honey-and-water "must" only) or augmented (ho ney and water "must" plus fruit juices, herbs, spices, etc.) Allowed ingredients in all classes - sulfiting, yeast nutrients/energizers, tannin, citric acid or acid blends.
- Gift arrangements/packs must include one or more products of the hive but may also include other items that en hance the appeal or promote the use of hive products. Personal gift arrangements should be suitable for personal gift use regardless of commercial applications, and should be in a box, basket or other suitable container. Mailable gift packs should be suitable for commercial applications and will be judged on mailability.
CLASS 18 Four Molded Beeswax Candles
CLASS 19 Four Dipped Beeswax Candles
CLASS 20 Four Rolled Beeswax Candles
CLASS 21 Artistic Beeswax - candles, figurines or other forms, at least 1 1/2 lbs.
CLASS 22 Label for Honey Container
CLASS 23 President's Prize
CLASS 24 Photography
CLASS 25 Equipment or Gadget
CLASS 26 Honey Wine - Sweet Mead, one bottle
CLASS 27 Honey Wine - Dry Mead, one bottle
CLASS 28 Honey Wine - Augmented Mead, one bottle
CLASS 29 Personal Gift Arrangement of honey bee products
CLASS 30 Mailable Gift Pack of Honey Bee Products
Division II Champion: Ribbon 15.00
Division II Total: $444.00
Division III YOUTH DIVISION
Exhibitors age 18 or under
CLASS 31 Extracted Honey (As in Div. I)
CLASS 32 Bee Crafts (As in Div. II)
CLASS 33 Honey Cookery (As in Div. IV)
Division III Total: $99.00
Division IV HONEY COOKERY
- Entries in all classes must use honey for 50% or more of the sweetening with the following exceptions: frostings, fil lings, glazes, dusts and meringue may contain up to 100% sugar. Honey used in entries does NOT need to have been produced by the exhibitor. Non-beekeepers are encouraged to enter honey cookery.
- Mixes and packaged prepared foods are not permitted.
- Each honey cookery entry must be accompanied by TWO copies of the recipe for the entry. The ingredients in the entry must match the recipe. Recipes must not contain the exhibitor's name or other personal identification. Please identify the origin of the recipe (e.g. "personal". ''National Honey Board”). Plates and protective covers must be supplied by the exhibitor.
CLASS 34 Cake - One unsliced cake that may be unfrosted, frosted, filled, glazed or dusted.
CLASS 35 Cookies - 12 drop, refrigerator, rolled or filled cookies that may be unfrosted, frosted, glazed or dusted.
CLASS 36 Cookies - 12 bar or sheet cookies (brownies, date bars, baked granola, etc.). May be unfrosted, frosted, glazed or dusted.
CLASS 37 Pie - One unsliced pie.
CLASS 38 Candy - 12 pieces. May be cooked, uncooked, or may be candied peels and candied fruits.
CLASS 39 Yeast Bread (Non Sweet) - One unsliced loaf or 9 rolls.
CLASS 40 Yeast Bread (Sweet) - One unsliced loaf, coffee cake, tea ring, or 6 Danish or sweet rolls.
CLASS 41 Quick Bread (Sweet) - One unsliced loaf. Examples are: banana bread, nut bread, etc.
CLASS 42 Quick Bread (Other) - One unsliced coffee cake, tea ring, 6 doughnuts or 6 muffins.
CLASS 43 Jellies, Jams, Preserves or Conserves - One half-pint or one pint in glass jar, sealed with lid or paraffin.
CLASS 44 Condiments, Salad Dressings, Barbecue Sauces - One half-pint or one pint in glass jar. Examples are: catsup, pickles or relishes.
CLASS 45 Any other entry - honey cookery
Division Champion: Ribbon $15.00
Division IV Total: $411.00
Honey Show Grand Total: $1,530.00