Local Honey

Did you know that there is a difference between eating honey from a company that mass produces honey and eating honey from your local bee keeper? I didn't, until only recently.  There are amazing health benefits to eating honey that's produced locally. Here are some reasons to enjoy local, raw honey:

• It's a natural sweetener, much better than sugar for you

• Raw honey contains: assortment of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and amino acids

• Modern food-processing techniques often involve filtering honey for clarity and superheating it to avoid crystallization and extend its shelf life. These processes can dilute much of the nutritional value of the honey, however. Filtering might remove minerals, for example, and superheating honey partially destroys its vitamins, nutrients, and enzymes. 

• Another casualty of industrial honey production is taste. Much of the honey found in stores is a mixture of many different kinds of honey, with much of its uniqueness lost in the process of filtering, heating, and mixing. 

• Because local raw honey contains minute particles of pollen from local plants, some people believe that ingesting local raw honey helps build up immunity to the pollen, alleviating springtime allergies.

• If you don't know where your honey is coming from, chances are it's imported: 
The majority of honey sold in the U.S. is now imported from four major sources: Canada, Mexico, Argentina, and China. This is a shift from past decades, when most of the honey sold in the U.S. was produced domestically. 

• Buying local honey causes less pollution and saves resources.

So where do I get my honey? Well if you live in Pace or Pensacola I highly recommend East Hill Honey Company. Not only do they sell local, raw honey, but they're on a mission to bring apiary's to other neighborhoods. They're working to live more of a sustainable life, which is exactly the same mission I'm on. I'm trying to find ways to live a 'greener life'. 

This past Saturday I went to our local farmers market: The Palafox Market.  Tommy Van Horn (the founder and beekeeper for East Hill Honey) was there selling his honey. I shared with him how much I appreciated the lavender soap I purchased from him in the past. He was so kind and gave me these three beautiful end pieces of soap for me to try free of charge! What a blessing. I was so surprised, and thankful for his generosity! A whole bar of beeswax soap from him costs $6 regularly. I bought some creamed honey from him as well. I adore creamed honey. I used to eat it a lot as a child growing up in Canada. I couldn't wait to try East Hill's version of it. It came in such a pretty bottle. When I got home, I put a piece of homemade bread in the toaster and covered it in the creamed honey. It tasted a lot like my childhood, but better. His honey has a distinct flavor, almost fruity.  

I've bought their amazing soap. My favorite is the lavender.  Here's what they say about their soap:

"Our Lavender Soap bars measure 2.5" x 3.25" x 1" thick - a great size for a bar of soap. We use all natural ingredients (oatmeal) and they feel great to use everyday. Our soaps have no Parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate (or similar), unnatural preservatives, or petroleum products. All soaps are vegan."

My children LOVE their honey sticks. They remind me of pixie sticks, except they're such a fun, delicious, and good for you treat! They cost $2.00 for 5 honey sticks. 

I'm finding that when I know where my food comes from, and when I know the story behind it, I become so much more grateful for it. I can envision the labor and care that went into it. There becomes this appreciation for it, like I haven't had before when just picking up a manufactured bottle of honey on the store shelf at the local grocery store. The experience is almost spiritual, as I thank God for providing the food and sincerely thank him for the hands that prepared it. 

If you get the opportunity go to your local farmers market and meet the beekeeper. If you're in pensacola, meet Tommy.  Pick up some honey and I guarantee you, it will taste nothing like the store bought kind you have purchased in the past. Once you try local, raw honey, there's definitely no going back.