City's Roof Top Honey Is Sweet Deal

CHICAGO (WBBM) - It's the sweetest deal city government has to offer.

Now is the fall season for the honey-making beehives on City Hall's rooftop garden.

"We're looking at 100,000 bees, right in front of us here."

Michael Thompson is the beekeeper. Two hives on top of City Hall. Four hives on the roof of the Cultural Center.

What they make is sold as Roof Top Honey in the shop at the Cultural Center and across Randolph Street at the Farmstand.

"Look how busy they are. That's what I wanted to see, by the way. You can tell by looking at the entrance to the hives - we call it the flight pattern - you can tell by looking at the flight pattern of the hive how healthy they are. And so I can tell you that both of these hives are in perfect shape...

"We're very lucky now. They're going to make it through the winter, I believe."

WBBM: I can smell the honey every once in awhile.

"Yeah, you can. At this time of year, just standing near the hive you can smell the honey. Because, especially the common white aster, the common native plant that they're going to now - it produces a very fragrant honey that smells sort of like butter."

And a lot of rain this year means a good fall crop of honey. About 300 pounds worth for the year.

The honey is available online at the City of Chicago Store www.chicagostore.com.

The Farmstand at 66 E. Randolph St. is open Tuesdays through Fridays 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. and Saturdays 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. It offers edible local products, all produced within 250 miles of Chicago.