Sweet Reward

Piedmont Beekeepers Association

Established 1981

General Information

 The honeybee, or Apis mellifera, is a very beneficial insect to mankind.

Dr. Nicholas Calderone, professor of entomology at Cornell University, says that of all insects  beneficial to man, the most important is the honeybee.  You might be surprised by this statement as most people are.  But why Dr. Calderone offers this fact may surprise you even more.

     In the year 2000, there were approximately 2.9 million colonies of honeybees in the world, their worth estimated at about $14.6 billion.  Incredible? Indeed.  But, why is the value of honeybees so high?  It must be all those flavorful honeys they produce, right?  Nope.  Calderone, who has been studying honeybees for years and directs Cornell’s honeybee research center, says that bees pollinate virtually every commercial crop grown in the world.

      Websites such as Honeybee.com and others devoted to protection and promoting honeybees and beekeeping state, “We have the honeybee to thank for one third of all the food we eat.  Without the bees, we would be eating mostly rice, wheat, and corn instead of the wonderful variety of  fruits, vegetables, and nuts we enjoy today.”

     So, imagine missing the taste of the first spring strawberry or tomato, picked fresh from the vine.  Or the summer picnic without refreshing lemonade, juicy watermelon slices, cucumber salad, and homemade peach pies.  Autumn decorating wouldn’t be the same without colorful and edible squash and gourds, nor Thanksgiving dinner without pecan and pumpkin pies.  And you can even forget about a big,thick,juicy steak hot off the grill-cows eat hay which comes from alfalfa seed, and guess how alfalfa seed gets pollinated..

     Sadly, we are in danger of such a bland diet (not to mention anyone getting thin- or rich- off the Atkins plan will have to find another lifestyle) because the wild honeybee population in the US has severely declined due to a tiny pest called the Varroa mite which was discovered in the country about 20 years ago.  Varroa mites can infest and destroy a honeybee colony within six months.

WHY WORRY?

     For thousands of years, farmers and orchard growers have relied on the steady and natural pollination of their crops by feral or wild bees that just showed up each spring to gorge on the nectar.  Now, however, rather than wait and wonder, growers are often left no choice but to buy or rent hives of bees from apiarists and tend bees on their properties, for without the bees, there would be no crops.  But, just when you’d expect a career boom in beekeeping, the increase in time, materials and medicines it takes in this field, plus the devastating effect a mite infestation can create, has many commercial beekeepers throwing in the towel.  Without pollination, crops suffer and growers lose money, too.  It’s the proverbial “Catch 22.”

SOME GOOD NEWS

      Unfortunately, the lazy days of visits from the old gardening icon are all but a memory in some areas, but consumers across the nation are discovering that honey isn’t just honey anymore.  Honey is also buckwheat or tupelo, alfalfa, summer clover, sourwood or orange blossom.  The list goes on and on, with more than 300 varieties of honey, and consumption of honey is on the rise.  Renewed interest in honeybees and the growth in the number of beekeepers,both hobbyists and professionals, are helping, too.  So, if you are indeed fortunate enough to witness bees buzzing about from blossom to blossom, chances are you can thank a beekeeper for managing beehives somewhere within a four mile radius (the farthest a honeybee can forage for food) of where you’re standing.

HOW CAN WE HELP?

The easiest and least expensive way: eat more honey!  And tell your neighbors and friends, too.  Honey recipes abound and can be shared with co-workers and family.

Whenever possible, buy raw, natural honey that is locally grown, harvested and bottled, for several reasons:

It’s healthier.  Large honey packing houses filter their honey to prevent the natural crystallization that occurs after it has been on the shelf a while.  The filteration removes the natural pollen which increases energy, the body’s resistance to stress, disease and speeds up the healing process for many conditions of ill health.  It also possesses age-retarding and rejuvenative properties, and can ease symptoms in allergy sufferers if the pollen comes from local plants.

It’s tastier.  Prior to filtration, honey is flash-heated by packing houses.  This intense heat destroys the natural yeast and enzymes that help give honey its flavor.

It supports those folks working hard to keep honeybees working hard.  Local honey should be easy to find- farmer’s markets, gourmet and natural food stores usually sell it, or you can often buy directly from beekeepers.

Create a beeyard.  Grow flowers and edibles, plus trees and shrubs, that

require  pollination to encourage feral and/or managed honeybees to visit your gardens.

            Learn more about honeybees, support a hive, or become a beekeeper

             yourself.  Beekeeping is a fascinating hobby- or career!- working with

             fascinating creatures.  You can start small, with just one hive, if you have

             an out-of-the-way place on your property.  Your county cooperative

             extension can probably help you find good resources in your area for

             equipment, advice, even beekeeping clubs and classes.

THE BUZZ ON HONEYBEES AND HONEY     

Honey is a naturally fat-free food.

Honey has many natural antibiotic properties, and because of its low moisture content and slightly acidic nature, will not harbor any known harmful bacteria.  Use honey as a topical dressing on minor cuts and burns to prevent infection and speed healing.

Raw honey should not be fed to infants under 2 years of age because their digestive system is not yet equipped to deal with toxins that may be present.

Crystallized honey is not damaged or spoiled, in fact, honey has a endless shelf life if stored at room temperature in a sealed container.

To “de-crystallize” honey, unseal and place the container in warm water, or microwave it for a few seconds at a time.  Be careful not to overheat it, excessive heat will ruin honey’s delicate flavor.

North Carolina leads the nation in “hobbyist” beekeeping (commercial beekeepers are those whose sole income relies on their trade), creating income from the sale of honey and other by-products from the hive.

Bees dance.  When scout bees locate a food source for their colony,  they report back to the hive to inform the forager bees.  However, they don’t lead the expedition back to the food; they “dance” out the location of the pollen.  By dancing in a certain direction and at various rates of speed, they communicate the precise distance from the hive and the direction of the food source so the foragers can make efficient trips back and forth.

September is National Honey Month.  Celebrate the versatility and wonderful flavor of honey by experimenting with new varieties and recipes.

 

                                                                              National Honey Board

Honeybees 

at work on comb

Bees and Beekeeping

THE HONEYBEE