Kars Honey Description and Distinguishing Features of the Product: Beekeeping in Kars has a rich tradition that dates back to ancient times and remains one of the main economic activities in the area. Kars Honey is famous for its unique plant varieties, natural environment, and climate. Its distinctive aroma, delicate scent, and flavor earned Kars Honey a prestigious place on the tables of the Ottoman palace, and historical documents show it was traded beyond the province during the Ottoman era. Initially, beekeeping in Kars was done using long baskets until the early 20th century, when the region began adopting new types of hives. This modern beekeeping method spread throughout Turkey after it was introduced in Kars during World War I. Kars, as a border province where the movement of bees can be more easily managed compared to other regions, is regarded as an isolated area for beekeeping. By evaluating the honey, pollen, and nectar potential of various plants that reflect the characteristics of the Kars region, it has been established that many honey-yielding plants in this area produce substantial amounts of honey, pollen, and nectar during seasons favorable to natural conditions. Although some native plants cannot be classified strictly as honey plants, it is understood that bees utilize them for different purposes, adding to the distinctiveness of beekeeping and honey production in the region. With about 66% of the land in Kars consisting of meadows and pastures, and a large part of the arable land used for cereal farming, Kars stands out as a vital beekeeping zone due to its pristine environment, untouched nature, and absence of industrial or chemical pollution. Located in the northeast of Turkey, Kars is surrounded by mountains averaging 2500 meters in height and lies within a plateau ranging between 1500-3000 meters, mostly covered by volcanic formations. Thus, Kars serves as a high-altitude plateau region. Its altitude, continental climate, and other natural factors cause significant weather fluctuations over short distances. Because of these conditions, the area is home to around 1800 species of wild flowering plants, with nearly 100 endemic species. Another notable characteristic of the Kars Flora is that it includes plants native to the Caucasus region. Examples of such Caucasian species found here are Onosma caucasicum, Lonicera caucasica, Erigeron caucasicus, Astragalus caucasicus, Trifolium caucasicum, Orobanche caucasica, Ranunculus caucasicus, Alchemilla caucasica, Pedicularis caucasica, Iris caucasica, Allium albidum supsp caucasicum, Fritillaria caucasica, and Muscari caucasica. Several plant species gathered from Kars and its surrounding areas carry names inspired by the province, its districts, or nearby mountains in scientific nomenclature. These include Allium ezelghauricum, A. karsianum, Chaerophyllum karsianum, Festuca karsiana, Hieracium sarycamschene, Lathyrus karsianus, Nonea karsensis, Senecio integrifolius supsp. karsianus, Veronica allahuekberensis, and Draba terekemensis. The province’s flora is closely linked to its geography, topography, and climate. Due to the prolonged snow cover lasting about 5 to 6 months in winter, thousands of flowers growing on the plains, high plateaus, and mountains of Kars remain protected beneath the snow. The region’s vegetation is dominated by alpine herbaceous communities typical of the Iran-Turan flora family, along with a limited presence of yellow pines adapted to the local environment. These factors create an ideal setting in Kars Province for beekeeping and the production of honey and other bee-related products. Production Method: Kars Honey adheres strictly to the Turkish Food Codex Honey Regulation. During the production of Kars Honey, no adulteration is permitted through the addition of commercial sugars such as sucrose, glucose, fructose, or by feeding bees with honey from other regions. No chemical or medicinal treatments are applied inside the beehives throughout the honey production season. Care is taken to prevent any chemical or medicinal interventions during the nectar collection period, and any residues of contaminants, pesticides, veterinary drugs, or naphthalene from other times remain below the limits set by the Turkish Food Codex Contaminants Regulation. Bees are kept within the provincial borders during honey production, though seasonal movement within Kars Province to areas rich in nectar is allowed. The honey harvest typically starts around July 20th and continues until mid-August, with honey being collected only once annually. The distribution of beekeeping zones in Kars is mainly based on stationary beekeeping practices. Beekeepers usually begin their work in early April by releasing their overwintered bees from the hives and introducing them to the natural environment. Starting from mid-May, depending on nectar availability and environmental conditions, beekeepers relocate their colonies within the Kars region, mostly influenced by altitude. When vegetation diminishes at around 1500 meters, they move their bees approximately 3-4 kilometers away from settlements, near natural water sources rich in nectar and pollen, often ascending to elevations of 2000 meters or higher. After honey harvesting, beekeepers may stay in these areas until early September or return to their stationary apiaries to prepare their colonies for overwintering. Because of the province's diverse natural conditions, beekeeping does not show uniformity and often reflects a nomadic pattern shaped by the behavior of the bees. Since bees require rural settings, beekeeping activities begin at the end of April in the eastern Akyaka, Arpaçay, and Digor regions, as well as the southern part of Kağızman district, where lower altitudes warm up sooner. As temperatures rise and conditions change, beekeepers shift their operations to higher elevations within these districts or move westward to the higher-altitude areas of Susuz, Merkez, Sarıkamış, Selim, and Digor. When climatic conditions worsen in September, producers bring their bees back to the initial zones and sheltered locations. The open-field beekeeping zones are typically located several kilometers from villages and rural settlements, favoring areas abundant in honey plants, with suitable climate, plentiful water sources, and gently sloping valley floors.