Got honey?

• Honey is made by honey bees. Bees fly to millions of flowers and gather tiny droplets of nectar from the flowers. The bees convert the nectar to honey by storing it in cells, and then evaporate the water out by fanning their wings over the honey. They often fan 24/7 to convert the nectar into honey. When it is cured, the bees cap the cell with a thin layer of wax (which they also make for themselves) to keep it clean.  The honey is the bees source of carbohydrates, and the pollen is their source of protein. Contrary to popular belief, the bees do not use pollen to make honey.

• The bees store the honey for their food during times when flowers are not blooming. They then live off of this stored honey throughout the winter.

• Honey is produced in many forms. The most common form of honey is liquid honey which has been removed from the honey combs by machines called extractors. The machines spin the comb until is removed from them. Chunk comb honey is a jar of liquid honey with a large piece of honey comb with it. Comb honey is usually just the comb with honey in it by itself.

• Honey comes in many different colors and flavors. Almost every beekeepers honey has a different color as well as flavor. This is because of the different flowers the bees gather nectar from. Honey can almost clear, to almost dark in color.

• Honey has been used for centuries for medicinal values, and as a sweetener. It has long been known to be healthier for humans than white sugar. Pure raw honey is full of extra nutrients, and it is easier on the digestive system than most sugars. The FDA has recently approved special honey as a wound care product.  So you see, all that to bring you this golden and delicious sweetener we call honey.

P.S. Want more information on the medicinal value of products from the hive? Click here for more details.