Honey

Have you ever watched a honeybee as it approached a flower in search of nectar? They seen to have an inner instinct in the way of selecting a flower. It seems to know when a certain flower is not up to its liking, apparently because other bees have depleted the nectar or the flower has not produced the food, therefore it flies on to other flowers.

I know many will say that they try to stay 'miles' away from a bee. Actually a bee will not attack you unless provoked by one's own actions such as striking at them, particularly near their hive.

Years ago, people living in the hills and mountains would go out into the woods and locate a 'bee-tree' for their winter supply of honey. Seeking a bee tree was an art in itself. There were many methods used to locate this tree. Most of them really produced results.

Honey was not only a base food need but it provided the families a source of medicinal recipes along with the herbs and teas.

Many a backwoods baby was raised on cow's milk and honey. It was discovered that babies fed on this formula or diet rarely had colic. In some sections honey was prescribed by grandmothers as a tonic for bedwetting in children. A teaspoonful at bedtime was the usual dose, and furthermore, it was thought to be an excellent remedy to produce sleep in both young and old. A jar containing a mixture of honey and apple cider vinegar was kept on the chest of drawers beside the bed for this purpose. The same solution was used to 'cure' coughs.

If the old method of turning your shoes upside down before going to bed does not keep you from leg cramps, then reach for several spoonsful of honey.

The use of honey in folk medicine is an old time method for treating burns. It is said to relieve the pain and prevent blisters as well as to assist in rapid healing.

It is an old adage that anyone who works with bees does not and will not suffer from rheumatism. The writer recalls an incident years ago in which a personal visit was made to the home of a man who was in his 'nineties'. We noticed a number of beehives on the bank back of the house. We turned the old man's conversation to his bees. He proudly told us how he worked his bees and how they knew him and they never stung him unless he accidentally pinched them. He never used any protective head covering when he removed the sections. He always used a large turkey feather to brush the bees from each section of honey.

We then asked the old man a personal question. "Did you ever suffer from the pains of rheumatism"? He quickly replied "Young man, I've worked with bees all my life and I ain't never had a speck of rheumatism".

We recall years ago, sitting beside the bee hives which my father kept in the backyard. We would watch the workers land on the board in front of the hive, loaded with pollen and nectar. It was also interesting to watch hundreds of bees beating their wings, thus causing a steady flow of air through the hive to help cure the honey. We were perfectly safe so long as we did not swat at them. We learned the hard way of not wearing wool and to keep far away when sweating. They did not like my B-O.

Many old timers still insist that honey in the comb sections is much more healthful than the wax free type. They insist that honeycomb is an excellent remedy for nasal conditions.

There are many types of honey. Beekeepers will tell you that the light colored honey comes from blossoms, especially clover and other spring flowers. The dark honey is usually gathered from the fall flowers. The best of the dark honey comes from buckwheat blossoms. This type is hard to find due to the fact that very few farmers raise buckwheat.

The next time you see a box of honey on a store shelf, buy it. What w as good for the older generations should be good for us today.