Honey has also antifungal and healing properties for succlents, cacti, and get this, rose cuttings on top of root growth stimulation. Like aloe gel, certain types of honey(and beeswax) also have medicinal and health properties for humans. Funny how a byproduct and a plant have such similar properties.
I came into this with very few expectations with some enthusiasm from a friend and a need for a stress outlet. I honestly love writing and it very much didn't start out as a side hobby(started as a journalism major)but it's kind of where life led. With resources(like a good camera), I could probably make better quality content, but this is an interesting adventure. It does feel validating of things I wanted to do, so I do hope it holds out, but regardless it is fun and an interesting learning curve. I need all the hive training I can get! Thank you!
Heheh yeah I have a strange relationship with honey. I've always loved it, but when I found out it was insect puke I felt weird about it. Then I decided I was okay with it again, learned it had some vitamins and health benefits, etc. Then I went vegan, but not dogmatic vegan (like avoiding pearls and stuff), just vegan for the animals (I don't want to cause harm to sentient beings). I decided that bees are not sentient. They're similar to mosquitoes and bedbugs in terms of intelligence, and I'd gladly kill those on sight. But then I went off honey as part of a "fully vegan" kick with my wife. During that, we conceived (a surprise after 10 years together), so we stayed fully vegan for the pregnancy, no honey in the house. Now that he's born, we don't want honey around, because it can be toxic to babies before 1 year old (bacterial infection that only harms newborns). But then, the pandemic hit, and we relaxed certain things in order to balance our budget and remain stable. Food prices skyrocketed. We're disabled and can't drive, so we have to carry groceries home on foot, and many stores around here were closed or limited hours etc. We decided honey was okay again. And we found some really tasty Canadian stuff, real honey (not from bees fed sugarwater in chinese factories).
So yeah, honey is good! :D
Enjoy yourself and best of luck!
Strange relationships with honey are good! I've had one too. Both of my parents we're diabetic, the only thing honey ever went on is ham. After they passed, I started to do my own shopping and going to local farmers markets(something I'll be writing about soon.). Lots of apiaries at these farmers markets and as I am diabetic myself, I learn that natural sugar can be eaten, if you're smart about it.
I had a very interesting conversation with an beekeeper at the market once. We were on the debate on if honey was vegan or not(I think about this a lot, mostly because I've had friends who were both vegan and vegetarian. They get in fights over it), Honey alternatives do exist and are pretty good(the one made of apples is very tasty, by the way). He told me this story of how his wife went full strict vegan and the question came up. He said she fretted about it. His view on the whole thing was that he didn't smoke his bees, he needed them and they needed him, so didn't feel that there was any harm in them eating the honey.
Honey is definitely a no no for children. Honestly, I think most children should keep away from it until age five when everything in the growth process starts to slow down and there's less likely to be a development of allergies to it.
Do you live in an area that has a CSA so you can get veggies and possibly grains? Sometimes it might be slightly pricier, but they could possibly deliver to your home in the meantime, leaving a smaller list when you get to the market and much easier for you to take hone.
Thanks again!
Another tasty honey alternative is agave nectar. And as a Canadian I have to mention maple syrup!