HONEY ?

Thanks for posting this Marmight, I will check out the label next time I buy some.

I have been getting Manuka and Lifemel as they help after chemo. I also use a honey based shampoo and face wash. Bees are amazing!

Very interesting Marmight. My neighbour works with someone who keeps bees and sells the honey, so I have a supply of local honey. I do have to limit myself to just a little each day though as it's too delicious, but I think it's the reason I haven't had a single cold this winter, so far.

I bought Christmas gifts of seeds for plants attracting bees and hope to be attracting more bees into my garden. We must do our bit, as I'm sure we've all read the dire warnings if bees die out completely.

I also bought little nesting boxes for insects, although I've read they're not that effective. I'm still going to put mine in the garden and wait and see.

The builders developing land next to my home bulldozed farm sheds and destroyed a bees nest even after a neighbour had told them it was there.

My neighbour keeps bees and I try and plant lots of things to keep them happy!
We buy his beautiful honey.
It’s just so lovely to have such natural, sustainable, local and delicious produce.

So that's why some honey is cheap and some expensive! Will look for a UK label if not local produce, which seems to help hay fever too, from now on!

When we had a garden I planted a ceanothus. The bees loved it!

Oh that is a beautiful ceonothus Urmstongran, I have plant envy!!! We lost ours when we had to replace a fence and for some strange reason cannot grow another one in the same place?

Last year I rescued a bee from a spider's web just before the spider pounced on it. I tried to carefully remove the bits of web that it had become entangled in, but was so worried that I'd end up doing more harm than good that I thought I'd wait and see if the bee could help itself.

That little creature spent I don't know how long carefully and meticulously disentangling itself until almost every vestige of web was removed and I managed to remove the few pieces that were left using tweezers. I gave it a drink of honey water, as it must have been exhausted and then after a short rest if flew away. It affected me so deeply that it brought tears to my eyes - nature is indeed wonderful!

Also last year, my H and I were gardening when we heard a loud buzzing noise getting louder and louder. When I looked up I saw a massive swarm heading straight for us! It was an incredible sight, mesmerising, but we rushed indoors and watched from the safety of the house! They were hovering above the greenhouse for quite a time, but luckily for us, they decided to search for a better place to set up home!

We have a local beekeeper, who sells honey, so I would have contacted them if the swarm had decided they liked the idea of setting up home in the greenhouse!

No beekeepers but my neighbour is a 'bee enthusiast' and gives talks on bees.
She walked around my garden pointing out which flowers bees would like in particular.

The lovely Bill Turnbull is a beekeeper and gives talks, unfortunately I was away when he visited here.

I try to buy local honey.

That's a magnificent ceanothus, Urmstongran. I did have one but managed to kill it by over-pruning. I need to re-stock my garden following the destruction caused by a flood last year. Maybe another ceanothus. Great for the bees and I'd enjoy it too.

@Urmstongran &annodomini and ceanothus smells of honey when it blooms. Beautiful!

DH has just returned from having his nasty cut festering hand dressed by the district nurse. He proudly showed me the dressing she had used. Manuka honey! That's a honey dressing but also a glob of honey directly on the wound. I hope it works.

I have one of those in the garden Urmstongran. A beautiful shrub which flourishes each year.
It's next to the bottle-brush " tree " and you can hear the buzzing when both are in flower. The ceanothus is out in May/June and the bottle-brush, June/July.

Next shrub I want is a Wattle/ Mimosa/Acacia.

Having been quite poorly I treated myself to three jars of Manuka honey when it was on offer.

I also have a tree pollen allergy so have some local honey too. I had some trouble finding a source so this will be the first spring I can try it.

Am I allowed out before June/July?
Please?

⁷*squiffy*, you probably would have been safe staying out near the swarm. Bees tank up on honey before swarming which makes them docile and unlikely to sting. When I used to keep bees,I rehomed many a swarm and didn't get stung.

That’s most interesting, Marmight. I looked at a jar of Tiptrees honey this afternoon and lo, it said Eu and non-EU honey.

I guess organic honey won’t have chemicals but otherwise it’s only local honey for me now.

My daughter has bee hives, collects her own honey, gives talks to schools and interested groups.

She Always warns against buying foreign honey, please don’t leave any residue of foreign honey in jars, if British bees get in there, and take any back to their hives it can kill a whole colony, thousands of bees.

chicken I'm sure you're right - in the main! I know someone who was attacked by a swarm, but I don't know the circumstances - perhaps he disturbed them in some way. He survived, but I've never forgotten or taken a chance!!

Bees are amazing and we should cherish them. What a lovely story Squiffy ?
Yes, local honey is best or choose very carefully if not.

Some years ago I heard loud buzzing in a graveyard and there was a swarm of bees nesting in an old yew tree. ? I watched them for some time. It was a small country church in a village so I just hope no-one complained.

I do miss my garden at times. But not since retirement when hopping between here & Spain.

I don’t know about planting a new ceanothus GrannyGravy13 I’m not much of a gardener to be honest. We just had wonderfully nutrient rich soil - old farmland - where we lived!

Thanks for that Marmight. I had no idea honey from China was used. Can't say I'm surprised that they doctor it though, given their track record for animal abuse etc

Grammaretto, yes, honey is a fabulous natural healing agent. I treated second degree burns on one of my feet once, after reading about it. Result was a completely healed skin with no sign of scarring, etc.