Here in Michigan, we often find ourselves celebrating every exciting sign of the return of spring. A ray of sunshine, waking up to birdsong, a hint of green underneath the melting snow, all start to show signs of life after a long, cold, and quiet winter. But surely the most exciting sign of spring is the return of flowers and their counterparts, bees.
Bees don’t actually hibernate like other animals, despite common belief. Bees in Michigan spend their winters shivering. No, really! Bees will create a huddle around their queen and shiver to create warmth all season long. All of this shivering is a huge energy spender for such a small animal, and they are able to do this thanks to the high-energy food source they spend all summer creating — honey.
What is Honey?
Honey is a complicated natural product! Put almost too simply, it is made from the nectar that bees collect from their environment. Because of this, there are over 300 different types of honey, which all vary in flavor and composition. Plenty of Michigan beekeepers take advantage of this fact and make snowbirds out of their bees. For example, Sleeping Bear Farms in Beulah, MI also brings their bees to sunny Florida in the winter, where instead of shivering all Winter, they start producing Tupelo Honey. Interestingly enough, honey consumers mostly eat this natural sweetener with coffee or tea, and with breakfast, according to this fascinating National Honey Board study.
What is Raw Honey?
That National Honey Board study also notes that honey is chosen amongst consumers for being a single-ingredient, natural product. Unsurprisingly, raw honey is a popular choice for honey buyers! While there is no standing federal recognition of the term, generally, ‘raw’ honey is unheated and unfiltered. Unlike in dairy processes, pasteurization of most honeys is done to clarify them and lengthen the time before they crystallize.
Beekeeping in the Garden
If you want to encourage bees to visit your garden, you should grow a diverse variety of pollinator plants. Diversity means that bees will be able to find pollen sources in different blooming seasons, and will reduce the probability of pests. Native plants like blue cardinal flower and yellow giant hyssop are great bee-friendly options!
If you are interested in starting your own apiary, reach out to the beekeepers in your community. They may sell nucs, or small bee colonies. There are also folks who offer beekeeping consultations and classes!
Honey In The Medicine Cabinet
Honey contains antioxidants and acts as a natural cough suppressant, and as a source of sugar, it can help with boosts of energy. However, honey purchased commercially can be cut with corn syrup, which does not include these benefits, so be sure to purchase your honey locally!
Does Local Honey Help with Allergies?
Unfortunately, this is ‘flim flam’ according to allergist Dr. Zachary Rubin. Because allergies from flowers bees would visit don’t actually stem from the pollen, local honey won’t affect your immune response to those environmental factors. That said, it is a delicious way to support a local business, and is a great natural remedy for any sore throat caused by said allergies!
What to Do with Crystallized Honey
Sometimes, you’ll find that your honey becomes ‘grainy’ and starts to harden. In fact, Raw honey is more likely to caramelize than more processed forms because there are trace amounts of pollen or beeswax on which crystal structures can form. But most honey will eventually crystallize as it loses the moisture that keeps it liquid.
Crystallized honey is still good honey! You can whip it in a stand mixer for 10-15 minutes with a whisk attachment for a delightful spread, or simply reheat in a warm water bath.
Where Can I Buy Michigan Local Honey Near Me?
Find a local beekeeper, honey producer, or market sourcing community honey using our Find Food and Farms Directory!
Claire Butler is the Content Strategy Specialist for Taste the Local Difference. You can reach her at [email protected].