By Boulder County Farmers Markets

If you spot the Boulder Valley Honey tent at the Boulder Farmers Market, just stop by and ask — Chris Borke will happily pass out bee facts, free of charge. Did you know bees can count to four and recognize patterns and colors? According to Chris, they’re smart enough to play cards.

Chris’ self-proclaimed dream is for people to be just 1% as excited about bees as he is. That’s not hard once he starts talking. His knowledge goes well beyond trivia; he has a deep understanding of how bees interact with Boulder County’s ecosystem, which directly influences the flavor and quality of the honey his bees produce.

What sets Boulder Valley Honey apart is its hyper-local approach. While many beekeepers blend honey from all their hives—creating a standard wildflower mix—Chris keeps each hive’s honey separate, preserving the distinct characteristics of each location. The result is four unique honeys:

• Farmstead: From bees foraging farmland east of Boulder

• Reservoir: Sourced from the Sixmile and Boulder Reservoirs

• Orchard: From the base of Mount Sanitas in downtown Boulder

• Table Mountain: Harvested near the high prairie north of Boulder

Each variety tastes different because no two forage areas are the same. Bloom cycles vary throughout the region. Farms grow different crops, trees differ by location, and even the soil composition — its nitrogen and mineral content — all play a role in shaping the flavor, texture, and color of the resulting honey. Chris says even slight environmental changes can alter the final product.

As an analytically minded beekeeper, (Chris has degrees in both electrical engineering and computer science) he initially began separating the honey by location as an experiment. It quickly became a defining feature of Boulder Valley Honey. Chefs love having precise flavor options, and customers appreciate knowing exactly where their honey comes from.

As a beekeeper, Chris also focuses on creating environments for the healthiest, happiest bees possible. He breeds for docility, meaning he often works in just shorts and a T-shirt without fear of being stung. During the colder months, he keeps his bees in a climate-controlled shed. Some of these extra steps may explain the higher survival rate of his hives. Preliminary surveys have shown hive losses of between 55% and 80% across western North America this past winter, while Boulder Valley Honey saw only a 14.81% loss. Chris credits some of this to luck, but it’s clear that their overwintering shed and careful practices played a big role.

Beyond honey production, Chris channels his love of science into research and education. He collaborates with universities along the Front Range to study bee populations and their relationship to climate. He also teaches with Growing Gardens, helping spread awareness about these incredible insects.

Boulder Valley Honey offers more than just honey. Available at the Boulder Farmers Market, the Boulder County Farmers Markets Online Market, and through the Boulder Valley Honey website are fantastic lip balms—perfect for Colorado’s dry winter months. The business also serves as a resource for local beekeepers, offering help with bees and bee boxes.

Boulder Valley Honey is, above all, a hyper-local, community-centered business. You can support them every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Wednesday from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. this season at the Boulder Farmers Market.