What’s The Buzz?
We take bees for granted, yet a huge part of what we consume is given by them in one way or another. It’s from them we get the goodness of honey, many uses of beeswax and the help our fruits and vegetables need to grow.
Bees are an invaluable part of our life and our environment, and even though they’ve been a part of our planet for 40 million years, we often don’t realise how much they matter.
Nature’s Gold
The goodness of honey
Honey is the ultimate power food, and has been used as a medicine for years – thanks to its many nutrients, antioxidants and immune-boosting abilities.
The health benefits are endless, including the ability to prevent cancer and heart disease, reduce gastrointestinal disorders, reducing coughs and throat irritations, and strengthening yourimmune system – just to name a few.
To really get the goodness from honey, make sure it is pure and raw. Raw honey has all the vitamins, minerals and enzymes that you won’t find in refined honey.
Manuka honey, one of the most unique and beneficial forms of honey, is produced in New Zealand by bees pollinating the Manuka bush. It’s different because of its amazing nutritional profile, with nutritional content up to four times that of normal honey, making it a strong antibacterial with medicinal properties known as the Unique Manuka Factor (UMF).
Did you know?
One bee needs to visit around 4 million flowers to make 1 kg of honey.
The Benefit of Bees
Beeswax
Beeswax, the natural wax that honey bees make, is used to build the comb structures inside their hives. Thanks to its many benefits and especially skin nourishing properties, there’s an abundance of ways you can use it for yourself and around the home.
One of the most common uses of beeswax is in cosmetic products, like lip balms, moisturisers and soaps. The natural touch of beeswax creates a barrier that seals moisture into the skin, protects from environmental toxins and still allows it to breathe, making it an effective alternative to your usual store-bought, chemical-based cosmetics.
Not just for the skin, other uses for beeswax include making candles, vapor rubs for cold or flu relief, polishes, coatings, and much more.
Pollination
These tiny creatures are nature’s greatest pollinators – skimming from flower to flower, they spread the pollen that helps produce fruit, vegetables, flowers, nuts, seeds, beans and the majority of our agriculture. The work they do helps keep our economy, agriculture and environment functioning.
Helping your garden
So many of us can’t stand the sight, thought or buzz of them when we step out into our gardens, but without bees, it’s unlikely your garden would survive, because your plants and flowers need them to reproduce.
You may not realise it, but a lot of the work is being done for you, so help the bees by gardening organically using bee friendly sprays, growing plants with ample pollen and nectar, and leave some dandelion around for them to forage on.
A little consideration on your part will keep your garden happy and thriving.
Did you know?
Bees pollinate over 80% of all flowering plants including 70 of the top 100 human food crops. One in three bites of food that we eat is derived from plants pollinated by bees.
Support Local: Keith’s Honey
Keith’s Honey is lovingly produced in a small family-owned-and-operated company based in Taupō. We pride ourselves on providing high-quality, pure-NZ honey from the hive to you with passion and dedication. All our honey is produced, harvested, extracted and bottled right here in Taupō.
Our simple tips for a ‘bee-friendly’ lifestyle:
- Install a water feature or birdbath in your garden – honey bees do not get sufficient water from nectar alone, this will encourage bees to stay longer in your garden and help pollinate your plants.
- Plant colourful flowers – honey bees have the ability to see in ultraviolet light, blues and yellows are the best as they are the easiest for the bees to find.
- Know the good weeds – clover and dandelion are a great source of food for the bees, wildflowers are rich in pollen and provide protein to strengthen bee colonies.
- Avoid pesticides – they are toxic and can be fatal to bees, try to go with nontoxic or organic ranges and help save the bees.
- Buy local – buying honey that comes straight from local beekeepers encourages sustainability.
For more information…
Visit www.keithshoney.co.nz or facebook.com/keithshoneynewzealand