Episode Bonus September 2, 2026 12 min 35s

Winning at Honey with Stephanie: Preparing Pollen for Competition

From Beekeeping Today Podcast Jeff Ott, Becky Masterman

This month on Winning at Honey with Stephanie, Stephanie Slater turns her attention to a honey show category that doesn't appear at every competition: pollen. Preparing pollen for competition requires more than simply collecting it from a pollen trap. Stephanie walks through what judges look for, including cleanliness, proper moisture, aroma and flavor, consistent fill levels, and a colorful variety of pollen. She also shares lessons from her own first pollen entry—and the judge's comment card that showed her where she could improve.

You'll learn how Stephanie collects and freezes pollen, uses a fan to separate lighter debris, hand-cleans small batches with tweezers, and prepares jars for judging. She also explains why you should bring extra pollen to the show to correct settling and fill levels before submitting your entry.

Stephanie also discusses balancing pollen collection with the nutritional needs of the colony, including her practice of activating traps for only 24 hours before giving the bees several days of unrestricted pollen collection.

Finally, this month's Honey Show Spotlight looks at upcoming competitions in Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, and the 2026 Missouri State Beekeepers Association Fall Conference, where Stephanie will be helping with the honey show.

Whether you're preparing your first pollen entry or looking for another category to add to your show bench, it's time to start cleaning those pollen pellets!

Blue skies and blue ribbons!

Websites mentioned:

Missouri State Beekeepers Assn Fall Conference – https://www.mobees.org/events/beeconf2026/
American Honey Judges Assn - https://honeyshowusa.com/

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Betterbee is the presenting sponsor of Beekeeping Today Podcast. Betterbee's mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com

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Podcast music: Be Strong by Young Presidents; Epilogue by Musicalman; Faraday by BeGun; Walking in Paris by Studio Le Bus; A Fresh New Start by Pete Morse; Wedding Day by Boomer; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; Red Jack Blues by Daniel Hart; Bolero de la Fontero by Rimsky Music; Perfect Sky by Graceful Movement; Original guitar background instrumental by Jeff Ott.