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The Importance of Honey Bees: An Interview with Southwest Honey Co.

Southwest Honey Co.

At some point during the past few years, you’ve probably heard about the honey bee crisis. Maybe you saw a national campaign to save the bees, or read a doom and gloom article about the declining bee population. Honey bees are dying off at an incredible rate, both in the U.S. and worldwide. What you may not realize is that a large portion of the human diet is dependent on honey bees. Some crops, including blueberries and cherries are 90% dependent on honey bee pollination. Almonds depend entirely on honey bee pollination.  In short, the threat is real, and it will affect you.

To find out more, I interviewed Alex Cornwell and Megan Ryan, founders of Southwest Honey Co., an initiative to conserve and protect the local bee population.  They currently maintain and care for 25 hives in apiaries housed on properties that are naturally and organically kept. Their property partners include ACRES Land Trust, The Southwest Conservation Club, and organic farmers. Each hive’s population is generally around 50,000 bees.

 Can you explain what bees do and why it is important?

Honey bees are among the world’s best pollinators. Each bee is required to visit millions of flowers to produce just a teaspoon of honey. That amounts to a lot of pollination through the natural process the honeybees undertake for their food source, honey.

Pollination helps seeds grow on plants and trees by fertilizing the flower to ensure a next generation of the plant or tree. For honey bees in this process, pollen is accumulated on the hairs of the worker bee when she visits a flower to collect nectar. Simply put, the pollen is the “male” part on a flower in the anthers, which is transferred to the “female” part of the plant, the ovules of that flower or another flower from the bee’s movement in the flower. The foods we eat that require pollination are generally the fruit and seeds the plant needs to reproduce.What role do honey bees play in our diet?

The USDA has estimated that one third of the human diet is dependent on pollination and honey bees are responsible for 80% of the pollination. Honey bees generally are responsible for pollinating a variety of fruits, vegetables, legumes and nuts. The result of the agricultural industry’s honey bee pollination is valued at more than $14.6 billion per year.

Credit Southwest Honey Co.
Alex Cornwell and Megan Ryan, founders of Southwest Honey Co.

Honey bees have a large impact on not only our direct herbivore diet, but also are closely connected to the feed we raise to feed the animals we eat for food. Further than the pollination honey bees do, they also produce honey, beeswax, propolis and pollen that are used as ingredients in many common products found in the grocery store. With the decline in honey bee populations in the US and worldwide, it is easy to imagine a bleak future without honey bees. The selection at the grocery store would be limited and we would pay much, much more for fresh fruits, nuts and vegetables.

Why are honey bees dying and what can we do to help?

Honey bees are dying off and at an incredible rate, domestically and world-wide. Research was limited on honey bees in years past, so there is no direct problem that can be attributed to the die-off. Most beekeepers and scientists have identified this problem as “Colony Collapse Disorder,” which is a phenomenon where most of the worker bees abandon the hive, leaving just the queen behind. Suggested causes of Colony Collapse Disorder include pesticides containing neonicotinoids, mites, malnutrition, pathogens, genetic factors, immunodeficiencies, loss of habitat, changing beekeeping practices; or a combination of factors.

Our primary mission at Southwest Honey Co. as beekeepers and community members is to educate the public about how honey bees impact our daily lives, why we should care, and what can be done to help. Our general suggestions are to make small changes at home that include reducing pesticide use, buying local produce, planting a pollinator garden and voting for politicians who will introduce legislation to protect honey bees and expand natural environments. More information about how individuals and families can help can be found on our website, www.southwesthoney.com

Honey tastes different in different regions. What does your honey taste like?

Our natural honey is made by honey bees who live at our apiaries on organic and naturally kept properties around the Fort Wayne. Our bees have the privilege of foraging the many blooming fruit trees, berry plants, clover, and Indiana native wildflowers, far from pesticides and harmful chemicals. Since our honey is as close to organic as can be found in the Northeast Indiana area, the honey has a very flavorful and different taste than other honeys. Many of our customers describe it as “floral” or “with a hint of subtle citrus.”

The US has a honey deficit. Honey bought in grocery stores packaged by large scale vendors, most likely did not come from the USA. This becomes a problem when you consider that honey is a reflection of the environment it comes from, so if it comes from a polluted environment, it could contain chemicals or hard metals. Some honey found in stores, especially if it is inexpensive, may not be honey at all. This “honey” like substance is engineered with a sweetener and flavors that taste like honey does.

Besides eating honey, what other uses does it have?

Most honey sold commercially in stores has been heated and pasteurized. Through this pasteurization process, the natural enzymes and compounds of raw honey are compromised. On the contrary, local, raw honey that has not been pasteurized is left in its natural state and therefore contains pollen, enzymes, and antioxidants.

Allergy Protection

Credit Southwest Honey Co.

Local pollen, purchased from a vendor as close to where you live as possible, has been proven to help with allergy symptoms by building immunity to local pollen.

Antioxidants and Phytonutrients

Honey is rich in antioxidants and cancer fighting phytonutrients found in the propolis of the hive (the “honey glue” that bees use to sterilize the beehive). These compounds are found only in raw natural honey, NOT the pasteurized type.             

Digestive Aid

Raw honey also contains enzymes that help digest food more easily so it has been known to help treat ulcers and diarrhea.

Vitamins and Minerals

Generally, a 1-ounce serving of raw local honey contains small amounts of folate as well as vitamins B2, C, 

B6, B5 and B3. Minerals including calcium, copper, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, selenium, sodium and zinc can also be found in raw honey in small amounts.

Topical Salve

Honey is also capable of being using in a medical form. It has anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and antiseptic properties. Therefore, it can be applied topically to treat burns.

Cough Suppressant

Local, raw honey has also been used to treat upper respiratory infections. A study at Penn State College of Medicine in 2007 found that a small dose of buckwheat honey was more effective than an over-the-counter cough treatment for children.

For more information, or to get involved in local conservation efforts, contact Alex and Megan at Southwest Honey Co. www.southwesthoney.com. Their educational programs start back up in April, including Explore the Honey Bee for kids (K-12), Bees and Brews for adults, and Bees & Tea for seniors.

Opinions expressed in this column are those of the individual writer and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the staff, management or board of Northeast Indiana Public Radio. If you want to join the conversation, head over to our Facebook page and comment on the post featuring this column.

Amber Foster is a freelance writer, community volunteer, mom, and food aficionado. Find her at www.agingerinthekitchen.com