As Black Friday and Cyber Monday heralded the holiday shopping season, you may have found yourself ripping through the malls or scouring the Internet in search of that perfect gift.  If you are stressed about finding a gift for your politically correct, environmentally conscious niece or still can't think of what to buy for Dad, local beekeepers at BannerBee Company LLC have an assortment of socially responsible, environmentally friendly gifts that may help.  They will be one of the vendors at the Olney Farmers and Artists Holiday Market on Sunday, December 5^th.

Chet Langworthy, who has approximately 50 hives in Frederick, Howard and Montgomery counties, learned the trade from his father who kept bees as a hobby.  What began as a family hobby evolved into a family business.  Chet decided to set up his own bee colonies in the 1990s and he and wife Andrea began selling the honey in 2000. Today his family run BannerBee Company in Laytonsville sells honey and an interesting array of hive-based products, including beeswax candles made by Andrea.

Banner Bee has some creative gift ideas for the holiday season:

For the person who likes to support local agriculture or for the secret naturalist who works a 9-5-office job, BannerBee suggests "adopting-a-hive."  If you "adopt-a-hive" for a member of your family, he or she will receive an adoption certificate, three additional photos of the hive, and e-mail updates on the hive's production through the season.  Three pounds of honey and a set of six-inch beeswax candles are also sent after the honey is produced from the adopted hive.  Price:  $69.95

For the gourmet chef or tea drinker, BannerBee offers raw Maryland honey.  BannerBee's honey is all natural and unfiltered.  No chemicals are used in the production of the honey.  Raw honey is sold plain or with almonds, walnuts or vanilla bean. BannerBee also offers infused and flavored honeys such as gourmet lavender, chocolate, mocha, cinnamon or lemon thyme.  Price:  $8.00-$12.50

For the perfect holiday party hostess gift, BannerBee offers an assortment of holiday beeswax candles.  BannerBee's website claims that burning beeswax candles can help rid your home of toxins by emitting negatively charged ions, which are nature's air purifiers, cleaning the air of dust, mold, bacteria, viruses and other pollutants.  BannerBee sells a set of three hand-poured beeswax Christmas tree candles, as well as beeswax candles shaped as pinecones, snowflakes, snowmen, holiday stars or holly leaves.  Price:  $4.00-$26.50

For avid gardeners, BannerBee put together a "Gardner's Delight Gift Basket," which includes natural hand lotion, hand scrub, all-natural insect repellent, castile honey soap, a beeswax citronella candle, antiseptic moisturizing treatment hand balm and beeswax lip balm.  BannerBee's website claims that it's products are "100 percent biodegradable, cruelty-free, and do not contain harmful phlatates, parabens, petroleum products synthetic fragrance oils, preservatives, FD&C colorants or dyes or other toxic chemicals."  The products are arranged in a gift basket and shrink wrapped.  Price:  $47.50

BannerBee Company is just one of the vendors that will be selling its goods at the Olney Farmers' and Artists' Holiday Market.  There will also be other venders selling handmade jewelry and artwork, gourmet food, and seasonal produce.  Activities such as a craft tent for children to make gifts, an animal parade, chef demonstrations, holiday caroling and a visit from Santa will also be available.

The market will be open on Sunday, December 5^th from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., in front of the Montgomery General Hospital Thrift shop at 2801 Olney-Sandy Spring Road.