Kocaali Camdagi Chestnut Honey Product Description and Distinctive Features: Kocaali Pine Mountain Chestnut Honey is offered to consumers as a type of flower honey, categorized by its botanical origin, and as strained honey according to its processing and market form. This honey is a natural bee product made by bees gathering nectar mainly from chestnut trees and other flowering plants found within the defined geographical region of the designated flora. Kocaali Pine Mountain Chestnut Honey is a product closely associated with the district, gaining its reputation from centuries of beekeeping traditions practiced by local beekeepers, especially in the Pine Mountain area, which lies at an altitude of around 900 meters. Honey production in this region depends heavily on the local vegetation, including chestnut trees as well as other forest species such as pine, plane tree, beech, lime, and alder. The unique aroma and color of Kocaali Pine Mountain Chestnut Honey are shaped by the primary and secondary pollen sources within the specified geographic area. The honey mainly contains pollen from Castanea sativa (chestnut), which is the dominant source, while secondary pollen includes species from Fabaceae (legumes), Hedysarum (sainfoin), Apiaceae (umbellifers), Ericaceae (heaths) in smaller amounts, as well as Asteraceae (daisies), Rosaceae, and Tilia spp. (linden). The production of Kocaali Pine Mountain Chestnut Honey typically involves the use of the Caucasian Honey Bee (Apis mellifera caucasica), which is well adapted to the climatic conditions of Kocaali. This bee ecotype is the most preferred and widely used by local beekeepers. Chestnut pollen makes up at least 70% of the total pollen content in the honey, giving the product its name and classification as a chestnut honey, due to the predominance of this single floral source. The honey is characterized by a brown color that varies in shade, along with a distinct aroma derived from the local vegetation. It has a somewhat bitter and sharp flavor, a thick yet fluid texture, and creates a gentle burning sensation in the throat when consumed. Production Method: Kocaali Pine Mountain Chestnut Honey is produced and offered to consumers in full accordance with the Turkish Food Codex regulations. No additional substances or external ingredients, including any food additives, are allowed during its production. The production process of Kocaali Pine Mountain Chestnut Honey includes the following stages: Spring Care: In the beekeeping process for Kocaali Pine Mountain Chestnut Honey, seasonal maintenance is crucial to ensure optimal productivity. The most intensive activities take place during spring. During spring inspections, beekeepers evaluate the bees’ winter survival conditions, the quantity of stored food in the hive, the presence and health of the queen bee, her egg-laying activity, the number of worker bees, and check for any signs of disease within the hive. For chestnut honey production, beehives are kept outdoors throughout the winter months. Special care is taken during early inspections to protect the bee colonies from exposure to cold temperatures. When exposed to cold, bees must consume more honey to maintain the brood area’s temperature around 35˚C. In colonies housed in frame-bottom hives, a temperature drop of about 10˚C increases honey consumption by roughly 40-80 grams per day to keep the brood area warm. During active bee periods, the hive’s bottom board is thoroughly cleaned. Any covers or boards with accumulated moisture or water are replaced. If the bottom board is attached to the hive body, cleaning or replacement is performed together with the hive body. During frame inspections, any frames that show signs of mold, excessive darkening, or damaged combs are removed from the hive. If necessary, clean frames from the previous year are supplied. When processed frames are unavailable, foundation frames are used instead. If the bee population in the hive does not fully occupy all the frames, empty frames are taken out to reduce the hive space. Each year, half of the brood frames are replaced. The food reserves of the bees are monitored, and the quantities of honey and pollen in the hive are assessed. In early spring, if food stocks are low, feeding is avoided using cakes or sugar syrups made from honey and powdered sugar. Instead, priority is given to allowing the bees to feed naturally from available sources. The region primarily utilizes the Caucasian Honey Bee as the preferred bee species. To increase colony numbers, artificial swarming is carried out by dividing colonies that have reached adequate strength. Detailed records are maintained for each hive during inspections, including information such as the queen’s emergence and egg-laying start dates, origin, quantities of honey and pollen, and the condition of the brood. Summer Care: Following spring maintenance, beekeeping activities continue through the summer months. Comb and Super Addition: As the bees’ activity increases, they begin constructing new combs. During this period, new foundation frames are provided to the bees. When there is brood present in the hive, a super (honey chamber) must be added. When placing the super, at least two honeycomb frames are removed from the brood chamber and replaced with new frames.Along with the honeycombs, a few fresh frames are also placed on top of the brood chamber when brood is present. Autumn Care and Overwintering: Proper care during autumn is vital for the bees to survive winter without significant losses. Frames containing stored honey and pollen are left in the hive as food for the winter months. Low-quality honey is not used as winter feed for the bees. If the colony is weak, queenless, or the queen is old and less productive, a young queen is introduced. Colonies without a queen are combined during the fall. Even if there is sufficient honey and pollen in the hive, feeding is done using sugar syrup made by mixing two parts white powdered sugar with one part water. Additionally, bees can be fed with cake at the start or end of winter, which is made by blending one part honey with three parts powdered sugar. Pest Control: For pest management, only authorized pesticides that comply with relevant regulations are applied. Strict adherence to label instructions is ensured during their use. Harvest: Honey typically forms in the combs during the first three weeks of July. Harvesting takes place after this period, although the timing can vary depending on the year, nectar availability, and climate conditions. Honey is collected exclusively from the honey chamber of the hive; the brood chamber is never harvested.