Honey do

Replenishing our supply of honey appeared on the ‘honey do’ list this week. This meant a skip up the road to Walt Broughton, maker of Swarmbustin’ Honey. Colony collapse disorder, in which no or very few adult honey bees remain in the hive, continues to plague the beekeepers of the US. Walt apparently suffered some damage this fall, but was able to replenish his hives.

Broughton schedules his placement of hives during pollinating times according to land management practices. For example the Marlboro Mushroom farm located nearby Walt’s home, calls to let him know when and what they will be spraying on their fields. Broughton then waits for rain to fall, in order to expose his bees to fewer chemicals during their time in those fields. He is lucky in that this area does not practice very heavy agriculture, but he still has to navigate around potentially harmful environments. Listen to this brief talk on honey bees, our current ag system and what you can do personally to try to help them survive (plant a meadow, not a lawn).

Honey in the Kitchen – I purchased one 12-lb. jar of Raw honey, and one 12-lb. jar of Fall Wildflower honey. The exact same purchase, made in August, has sweetened me through five months of baking and cooking. And I do like desserts. My opinion is that this particular honey is my most sustainable option – produced one mile from my house, by Broughton who takes his bees to pollinate within this immediate area, and who does his best to ensure that his bees stay healthy, who sells to a variety of local stores but also stoppers-by.

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