Category Archives: Honey
A Cold Canadian Wedding
I’ve been preoccupied. My oldest son’s wedding was on the weekend. I’m sharing a couple of pictures. The bride’s family came from Colombia. Because of work, they were only able to visit for a week. I was disappointed that we … Continue reading
Maple Syrup is Dark
It’s February. Maple syrup time in Quebec. The saps are flowing! I live in western Canada (no maple syrup trees here on the windy prairies) so I don’t think a lot about the sugar tapping going on at the moment … Continue reading
Beekeeper Royally Stung
A rather sad story today. Sad on several levels. A couple of months ago, we learned that “Prince Charles’ beekeeper” was charged with using a prohibited chemical in his hives. The chemical is a medication used throughout North America and … Continue reading
Posted in Beekeeping, Diseases and Pests, Honey, Save the Bees
Tagged bee medications, organic honey, Prince Charles, Scotland, tetracycline
14 Comments
One more thing about Chinese honey. . .
Occasionally, we take honey from the hive too early. It’s bad honey – some beekeepers call it “green”. High in moisture, and maybe not fully enzymatically converted by the bees. Nectar is ‘wet’ – sometimes 90% water and just 10% … Continue reading
Posted in Beekeeping, Hive Products, Honey, Science
Tagged adulteration, China, extracting, processing honey, wet honey
16 Comments
National I Love Honey Day
Today – December 18 – is National “I Love Honey Day”. I’m not sure whose idea this one is, but it’s a good one. America should have a national honey day – it’s the world’s largest honey customer. Maybe it … Continue reading
Sweet Stats
Yesterday, Stats Canada released honey bee numbers for 2016. Canada now has more colonies ever. That’s right – more hives of honey bees than ever, in all of our recorded history. Our numbers are now over 750,000 colonies. The last … Continue reading
Lawsuits Amidst Toxic Allegations
Australia is having a food fight. Well, a honey fight, actually, and there are lessons aplenty to be found in it. First off, a Save the Bees gentleman, Simon Mulvany, of Melbourne, launched a name-calling campaign against Australian honey packer … Continue reading
Posted in Commercial Beekeeping, Honey, Save the Bees, Strange, Odd Stuff
Tagged Australia, Capilano, lawsuits, toxic honey
9 Comments
Why Vegans are Wrong
I have a vegan acquaintance. He is a mild, considerate, and generally pleasant young man. He thinks that beekeeping is cruel and inhumane. He tells me that honey-eating encourages theft and the abuse, imprisonment and exploitation of insects. “Tell me … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, or lack thereof, Ecology, History, Honey, Strange, Odd Stuff
Tagged Donald Watson, health, honey and environment, sugar, vegans
104 Comments
Water in Honey
Honey is about 80% sugar and 18% water. The rest is minerals and ash*, pollen grains and bees’ wings. The sugars and water come from nectar secreted by flowers. When flowers produce nectar (as a way of attracting pollinating insects … Continue reading
Sometimes They Get Caught (then gently tapped on their knuckles)
This is a piece about someone in the USA who was caught selling tainted honey. This was not his first brush with the law. The same gentleman, Douglas Murphy, was an executive at American Rice, Inc. when the feds found … Continue reading
Posted in Honey, Strange, Odd Stuff
Tagged adulteration, honey laundering, Honey Solutions, lawsuits
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