Ten years ago, my wife and I were looking to add honey to our food storage. A friend at Church recommended a local beekeeper that we could purchase our honey from. What followed was a marvelous introduction into the world of beekeeping. Perhaps the biggest draw that a beekeeper experiences is their attachment to the community of nature and the circle of life. Certainly, the maintenance of the bee hives requires attention to detail and balancing the life of those curious insects with our own existence; we live in close proximity and share the same land. The beekeeper also has to protect the hives from the devastation of mites and fungi which can destroy the colonies. That said, the benefits go far beyond the sweet honey they produce. Our beekeeper explained the medicinal properties of honey based on what type of pollen the bees use and how he applied the honey to his foot after surgery to destroy a bacterial infection; honey is air tight and no moisture hence bacteria exists with the honey. Finally, he regularly hosts bee sting treatments for people suffering from multiple sclerosis where patients attest to their symptoms being alleviated by the honey bee stings.

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