Le Miel de la Colline aux Fraises

Strawberry Hill Honey

We installed 3 beehives in April 2015 and had our first harvest at the end of July of the same year. This first harvest yielded 16 kilos of pure liquid gold plus lots of honeycomb honey. DSC_0004In 2016 the bees started quite early, and we then had a 4th beehive. In 2018 we had 75 kilos of honey! We hope to be able to continue beekeeping in Sedona.

On Strawberry Hill we planted lots of medicinal flowering plants, which the bees and butterflies really like. In fact, I am fascinated with the healing properties of the pure, raw, unprocessed wildflower honey. Here is an excerpt from the book The Transformational Power of Fasting: The Way to Spiritual, Physical, and Emotional Rejuvenation by Stephan Harrod Buhner:

Honey is the nectar of the flowers of plants, gathered by the bee, and stored in its stomach for transport to the hive. Plant nectars contain sucrose, water, amino acids, proteins, lipids, antioxidants, alkaloids, glycosides, thiamine, riboflavin, nicotinic acid, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, biotin, folic acid, medoinositol, fumaric acid, succinic acid, oxalic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, a-ketoglutaric acid, gluconic acid, glucuronic acid, allantoin, allantoic acid, formic acid, a wide range of vitamins and minerals, and other unidentified compounds… During transport, their stomach enzymes break the DSC_0556sucrose molecule apart into glucose and fructose… These two primary sugars of honey… are monosaccharides (simple sugars) and, as a result, do not require additional processing by the body to be digested… Honey bees have a great attraction to many strongly medicinal plants: vital, jojoba, elder, toadflax, balsam root, echinacea, valerian, dandelion, wild geranium — in fact almost any flowering medicinal herb, as well as the more commonly known alfalfas and clovers. The nectar from a multitude of medicinal plants is present in any wildflower honey mix.”

“These plant compounds, though present in tiny quantities, remain highly bioactive… In addition to the plant nectar’s individual medicinal qualities, the nectars are also subtly altered, in ways that modern science has been unable to explain, by their brief transport in the bees’ digestive system. Before regurgitation the nectars combine in unique ways with the bees’ digestive enzymes to produce new compounds.”

“Honey is not just another simple carbohydrate (like white sugar). It is composed of a highly complex collection of enzymes, plant pigments, organic acids, esters, antibiotic agents, and trace minerals. Honey, in fact, contains over seventy-five different compounds. Besides those already listed, it contains proteins, carbohydrates, hormones, and antimicrobial compounds. One pound of (non-heather) honey IMG_3598contains 1,333 calories (compared to white sugar at 1,748 calories), 1.4 g protein, 23 mg calcium, 73 mg phosphorus, 4.1 mg iron, 1 mg niacin, and 16 mg vitamin C. The content of each of these substances varies considerably, depending on what type of plants the honey is gathered from — some honey may contain as much as 300 mg vitamin C per 100 g of honey. Honey also contains vitamin A, beta-carotene, the complete complex of B vitamins, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, magnesium, sulfur, chlorine, potassium, iodine, sodium, copper, manganese, a rich supply of live enzymes, and relatively high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide. Many of the remaining substances in honey are so complex that they have yet to be identified.”

“Honey has been found to possess antibiotic, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic, expectorant, anti fungal, immune-stimulating, antiallergenic, laxative, anti-anemic, and tonic properties. Because honey increases calcium absorption in the body, it is also recommended during menopause to help prevent osteoporosis. In clinical trials honey has been found to be especially effective in treating stomach ulceration (especially that caused by Helicobacter pylori bacteria), IMG_3422infected wounds, severe skin ulceration, and respiratory illnesses. A Bulgarian study of 17,862 patients found that honey was effective in improving chronic bronchitis, asthmatic bronchitis, bronchial asthma, chronic and allergic rhinitis, and sinusitis.”

“Honey is a reliable, stable source of vitamins and minerals. Though high in vitamins, fruits and vegetables tend to lose them over time. Spinach, for instance, loses 50 percent of its vitamin C content within twenty-four hours of picking. Honey, on the other hand, stores its vitamins indefinitely. Wildflower honeys generally have the largest overall concentration of vitamins.”

 

 

 

 

 

106 DSC_0564 DSC_0565 IMG_3137 IMG_3144 IMG_3160 IMG_3164

Free Email Updates
Learn about New Courses & Special Offers
We respect your privacy.