Honey, the OG of sweeteners. On toast, in tea and even used as medicine, but what exactly is honey? We know it has to do with bees; it's sweet and super sticky, but what is honey?
That's simple! It's food for bees!
Honey bees search out the sweet nectar of flowers and other flowering plants. The sugary liquid is stored in the "extra stomach" of the bee often called the crop. When the bee is ready, it passes the nectar off to another bee.
Guess how the bees pass the nectar to one another? They regurgitate the stored nectar into the mouth of the other bee.
Yep, another reason I don't want to be a bee. I don't care how cute they are!
After the nectar has been passed off to the next bee, and the next, and the next, it finds its way to the comb, in the hive. Since the nectar is thin, the bees will fan their wings until the extra liquid evaporates and the remaining liquid is thick and honey like. When the bees are satisfied with the consistency, they will seal up the comb with a special substance made from the secretions from their abdomen. This is what we know as bees wax.
As long as air and water stay out of the honeycomb, honey will last a very long time, maybe even forever! It's pretty much the perfect food, for bees and for humans.
And bears, badgers and other annimals, Oh My!
Have you ever wondered why honey comes in different colors and even smells and tastes different? I mean, honey is honey, isn't it honey?
Nope!
Honey made from the nectar of wild flowers will taste, look and even smell different from other varieties of honey. So blueberry honey tastes like blueberries? Yes it does; bees are amazing!
Have you ever heard of a bee farm? Flying Bee Ranch is a local family business in Salem Oregon that is committed to sustainable beekeeping practices. They offer some of the most delicious flavors of honey that nature has to offer. I'm sure you have heard of wine tasting, but have you ever heard of honey tasting? Yes, it's real, and offered all year long.
Interested in Beekeeping? You should visit their local store. They have a lot of information and products to get you stared. You can also purchase honey and other honey related products at their store.
Check out their website at
Too far away?
Come see us at the Country Corner! We are proud to offer several honey options from Flying Bee ranch that I'm sure will make life just a little bit sweeter.
See you at the Corner!
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