Honey Harvest FestA Honey Festival Near Gaylord, Michigan
Free honey sticks for everyone through the gate, honey-tossed chicken at the Farm Haus, and an insect house build for the kids. Honey day at Wilderness Valley Farm, with the whole farm open and included.
Get TicketsThrough The Gate
A Free Honey Stick For Every Guest
Everyone who comes through the gate on September 12 gets a honey stick, on the house. Sweet, simple, and the right way to start honey day on the farm.
Honey Day On The Farm
What’s Happening On September 12
Everything below is included with admission. Gates open at 10am, close at 5pm.
On the house
Free Honey Sticks
A honey stick for every guest, handed out at the gate while you head in for the day.
Honey-Tossed Chicken
The Farm Haus kitchen runs a honey-tossed chicken special for the day, alongside the regular burgers, tater tots and cold drinks.
Build An Insect House
A hands-on build for the kids: put together an insect house and take it home to give your backyard pollinators a place to stay.
Gaylord, MI 49735
Sweeter With Everything Else
The Whole Farm Is Open All Day
Honey is the theme, not the limit. The same admission covers every animal, ride and playground on the property, from open to close.
Reindeer, Yaks & Longhorns
Meet Bud the white yak, Lilly the reindeer and Paisley the micro donkey, plus the Longhorns, mini donkeys and free-roaming peacocks.
Hay Wagon & Barrel Carts
Tractor-pulled hay rides loop the farm all afternoon, and the barrel cart takes the kids through the apple orchard and lavender runs.
Pedal Karts & Playgrounds
The pedal cart track, the playgrounds, the balance beams and the tractor tire park, all included with the day.
A Little Honey Knowledge
How Honey Gets From Hive To Jar
Late summer is harvest time for Michigan beekeepers, which is exactly why honey day lands in September. Here is the short version of how it works.
- Bees cap the combWhen honey is ready, bees seal each cell with a thin wax cap. Capped comb is the beekeeper’s sign that the honey is cured and ready to harvest.
- Frames come out of the hiveBeekeepers lift the heavy frames or bars of capped comb from the hive, leaving plenty behind so the bees are set for winter.
- Cut comb or spun honeyComb can be cut straight into squares and eaten wax and all, like the cut comb in the photo above, or uncapped and spun so liquid honey pours out.
- Nothing else addedRaw honey is strained and jarred. That is the whole recipe, and it is why local honey tastes like the flowers the bees actually visited.
Flowers First
Where The Bees Do Their Work
Honey starts in the flowers, and this farm grows plenty of them. The lavender rows bloom through late summer and the apple orchard blossoms every spring, exactly the kind of forage that keeps pollinators busy, and exactly why local honey tastes the way it does.
Walk the lavender runs on your visit, and if you want a whole day built around those rows, Lavender Fest opens the season on August 29.
Before You Come
Plan Your Honey Harvest Visit
Honey Harvest Admission
One ticket covers the honey sticks, the insect house build, the animals and every activity on the farm.
| Adults (14-59) | $15 |
| Children (3-13) | $10 |
| Seniors (60+) | $10 |
| Children (2 and under) | Free |
Driving To The Farm
6500 Nicklaus Drive
Gaylord, MI 49735
Twenty minutes from downtown Gaylord in the woods of Otsego County, with on-site parking. An easy September drive from Petoskey, Traverse City, Boyne City, Grayling and Alpena.
Questions
Honey Harvest Fest FAQ
When is Honey Harvest Fest at Wilderness Valley Farm?
Saturday, September 12, 2026, from 10am to 5pm at 6500 Nicklaus Drive, Gaylord, MI 49735.
Are the honey sticks really free?
Yes. Every guest gets a honey stick at the gate, included with admission.
What is honey-tossed chicken?
A Farm Haus special for the day: chicken tossed in honey, served alongside the regular menu of burgers, tater tots and cold drinks.
What is cut comb honey?
Honeycomb cut straight from the hive into squares, wax and all. The whole thing is edible: the wax is chewable and the honey inside is as raw as it gets.
What is an insect house for?
An insect house gives backyard pollinators like solitary bees and ladybugs a place to shelter and nest. Kids build one at the festival and take it home for the garden.
Is the rest of the farm open during Honey Harvest Fest?
Yes. The reindeer, Tibetan yaks, Texas Longhorns, donkeys and peacocks, plus hay wagon rides, the pedal cart track, playgrounds, and the Waffle Barn and Cider Haus, all included with the same admission.
Should I buy Honey Harvest tickets in advance?
Buying online before you come is the fastest way through the gate on festival Saturdays.
The Sweetest Saturday Of The Season
Free honey sticks, honey-tossed chicken, and the whole farm open. Saturday, September 12, 10am to 5pm.