All photos courtesy of Zack Greenwell.
Local Honey – It’s All the Buzz! By Heather Greenwell
One of my favorite things about this time of year is the spring weather. The early onset of greenery will soon be glowing all around us. Flowers will start to poke out and stretch their way towards the sunlight. The buzz and bustle of nature’s excellent pollinators will be hard at work. If you blink, you might miss how popular beekeeping is throughout our area. While most of us take for granted how easy it is to go to the store and pick up some honey, we rarely think about the amount of time and energy that goes into producing honey. Local apiaries and honeybees have infiltrated our neighborhoods, foraging for pollen and nectar. We’ve all heard about the Save the Bees Campaign. But the sad truth is the population of bees is still declining due to parasites, pesticides, habitat loss, disease, and more. For many Beekeepers, beekeeping occurs all year round, while honey production occurs within the hive. The busiest season for bees is from April to June. Zack Greenwell, a local beekeeper and owner of Chesapeake Bees, shares, “What I love most about beekeeping is the science behind it. Local honey should be unpasteurized since honey has antibacterial and antifungal properties.
Unfiltered honey will also have pollen in it from the local area. If you’re eating local honey, you will become less affected by local allergies because your body builds immunity.” Most beekeepers would agree that beekeeping isn’t just a hobby but a greater calling. It is a bond closely tied to nature and survival; neither species can thrive without the other. Zack also notes, “Beekeeping allows us to create a nurturing habitat for the bees, where we can help mitigate the presence of mites and provide assistance in the winter to survive if food is unavailable.” There is a lot that we can learn from bees about community. They are great communicators who constantly work together and care about their hive members’ well-being. Looking after our neighbors and those who need guidance makes us stronger together! Popular places to quench your honey needs in our area are Wildberry Farm + Market (Crownsville), Euphoric Herbal Apothecary (Edgewater), Honey’s Harvest (Lothian), HoneySmith Bees & Gardens (Crownsville) and Chesapeake Bees (Galesville). Also, check out your local farmer’s markets for other honey vendors closer to you!
SPRING 2024 | 105
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