This was the first time SMSC Honey was entered in the State Fair. The honey was judged on its container (appearance and cleanliness), its color (conformity to schedule), the volume (accuracy and uniformity of the fill of the container), absence of impurities, percentage of moisture, clarity (absence of crystals and bubbles), and flavor (absence of off-aroma or flavor). The honey was collected and bottled by staff in the SMSC Land and Natural Resources Department.

Prior Lake, MN – Honey produced and bottled by the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community recently won a blue ribbon at the 2009 Minnesota State Fair. The blue ribbon was awarded in the light amber novice class. SMSC Honey also came in fourth in the white honey novice class.

This was the first time SMSC Honey was entered in the State Fair. The honey was judged on its container (appearance and cleanliness), its color (conformity to schedule), the volume (accuracy and uniformity of the fill of the container), absence of impurities, percentage of moisture, clarity (absence of crystals and bubbles), and flavor (absence of off-aroma or flavor). The honey was collected and bottled by staff in the SMSC Land and Natural Resources Department.

More than 3 million honeybees in the 60 hives maintained by the SMSC produced 400 gallons of excess honey during the summer of 2009 which was extracted for bottling. The 40,000-60,000 honeybees in each hive feed primarily on sweet and red clover as well as alfalfa but they also pollinate apples, plums, cherries, raspberries, and some native prairie plants. The hives are located in six different natural areas of the reservation not easily accessible to the public.

Bees make honey to use as a food source to get them through the winter. It is their excess honey that bees store in boxes placed above their hive which is harvested by SMSC staff and Community youth. In 2001 the SMSC Land and Natural Resources Department started the honeybee program with four hives. The success of those hives resulted in the creation of new hives from splitting the existing hives and acquiring new ones available commercially. Staff tend to the hives on a regular basis to maintain a healthy hive and harvest honey as needed. The SMSC hives are healthy and have not been impacted by colony collapse disorder, which has affected honeybees in many areas of the country.

Honey is available for sale at several locations - in Prior Lake at the Shakopee Dakota Convenience Stores and Mystic Lake Casino Hotel Gift Shop. In Minneapolis it is available at The Wedge Co-op and Linden Hills Co-op. The 24 ounce plastic bottle sells for $7.00 while the 32 ounce jar sells for $8.00.

The SMSC produces pure, raw honey. SMSC Honey is filtered twice through stainless steel mesh baskets. It is not pasteurized, hydrogenated, or mixed with other honey from other areas. SMSC’s natural processing results in honey with high quality taste and a full complement of natural enzymes associated with antiseptic and healing properties. Much of the honey produced today throughout the country is not pasteurized; for this reason, infants under one year of age should not eat it. On a cool shelf, (50-60 degrees) honey has a shelf life counted by years, not weeks or months. If the natural sugar in it starts to crystallize, simply put the container in a pan of warm water and let it sit until it dissolves. It is not recommended to boil or use a microwave to dissolve crystals in honey.

As a steward of the land, the SMSC engages in a number of restoration activities to preserve and protect the land for future generations. The SMSC Land and Natural Resources Department has re-established native prairies on more than 500 acres of former farmland. Prescribed burns are used to maintain and improve native prairie conditions on the reservation. Wild rice is sowed in Community wetlands. Staff also maintain native maple-basswood forests from which they produce maple syrup that is sold at the same locations as SMSC honey. Trees and other native flora are planted. Environmental specialists are also active in restoring and managing wetlands, surveying wildlife, and taking an inventory of existing natural communities. Staff have documented some of the positive effects of these activities by water quality improvements. Hydrologists assess water quality, coordinate the Community’s Wellhead Protection Program, plan projects to improve water quality, and implement erosion control.

About the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community
The SMSC utilizes its financial resources from gaming and non-gaming enterprises to pay for all of the internal infrastructure of the Tribe, including but not limited to roads, water and sewer systems, emergency services, and essential services to its Tribal members in education, health, and welfare. The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community has a charitable giving program which comes from a cultural and social tradition to assist those in need. Over the past 12 years the SMSC has donated more than $162 million to charitable organizations and Indian Tribes, including more than $20.9 million in fiscal year 2009. The Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, a federally recognized Indian Tribe in Minnesota, is the owner and operator of Mystic Lake Casino Hotel, Little Six Casino, Playworks, Dakotah! Sport and Fitness, The Meadows at Mystic Lake, and other enterprises on a reservation south of the Twin Cities.