* It takes nectar from about 2 million flowers to make one pound of honey 
  * A worker bee (female bee) makes only about 1/12 teaspoon of honey in her lifetime, which is about 
     four to six weeks during summer 
  * Bees have 5 eyes 
  * They fly about 20 mph 
  * Bees have 2 sets of wings 
  * Bees emit chemicals called pheromones to communicate 
  * A bee dies after losing its stinger in you, stinging only in defense of herself or her home 
  * Drones, or male bees, do not have stingers 
  *The Queen bee lays one to two thousand eggs a day, and lives for up to 5 years 
  * Bees are attracted to dark colors 
  * Each hive is home to up to 60,000 bees 
  * North Carolina's bee population is about 50 million, and contributes approximately $185 Million to        the agricultural industry through pollination each year. 


Raw Honey, honey that has not been pasteurized, is a treasure chest of nutritional value and medicinal remedies. It contains an abundance of vitamins and minerals and is a natural and powerful medicine, both internally and externally. 

Raw honey may become granulated, as some does after only a few weeks and others maybe after several years. Honey varieties with a high glucose to water ratio will granulate faster than varieties having lower glucose/higher fructose content. If the granulations bother you, simply place the honey into a pan of hot water (no more than 100 degrees) and let it stand until becoming liquid again.  Or try keeping it in a sunny window.

The list of honey's beneficial functions is a long one. 

Many have found raw honey helpful for its positive effects against allergies and hay fever, and a tablespoonful at night can help with insomnia as well as decrease night time trips to urinate.

Raw honey is exceptionally effective internally against bacteria and parasites, plus it contains natural antibiotics which help kill microbes directly. Raw honey, when applied topically, speeds the healing of tissues damaged by infection and/or trauma. It contains vitamins, minerals and enzymes, as well as sugars, all of which aid in the healing of wounds. In recent years, honey has been used effectively in clinical settings for the treatment of pressure ulcers extending to the bone, as well as for first, second and third-degree burns. Complete healing has been reported without the need for skin grafts and with no infection.  When the wounds are clean, honey acts as a healer.  It helps clear scabs and dead tissue from wounds and stimulates new tissue growth. Randomized trials have shown that honey is more effective in controlling infection in burn wounds than silver sulfadiazine, the antibacterial ointment most widely used on burns in hospitals. 

Honey is also exceptionally effective for respiratory ailments. One Bulgarian study of almost 18,000 patients found that it improved chronic bronchitis, asthmatic bronchitis, chronic and allergic rhinitis and sinusitis. It's an effective treatment for colds, flu, respiratory infections and a generally depressed immune system. Whereas sugar shuts down the immune system, a good quality honey will stimulate it into action. 

Here are some more ways to utilize the healing power of honey: 
  BURNS - Apply freely over burns. It cools, removes pain and aids fast healing without scarring.             INSOMNIA - A tablespoon of honey aids sleep. 
  GUM DISEASE/RECEDING GUMLINES - honey will help heal gum disease while you sleep if you                                  take it AFTER brushing teeth before bed (it will NOT cause tooth decay since it has                                    antibacterial qualities that kill germs that cause tooth decay).
  FATIGUE - Dissolve a spoon of honey in warm water or mix in a jar or jug 1/4 honey and 3/4                                          water and keep in the fridge. Honey is primarily fructose and glucose, so it's quickly                                absorbed by the digestive system. Honey is a unique natural stabilizer: Ancient Greek                              athletes took honey for stamina before competing and as a reviver after competition.
  POOR DIGESTION - Mix honey with an equal quantity of apple cider vinegar or honey vinegar and                                dilute to taste with water.
  ANEMIA - The darker the honey, the more minerals it contains.
  FOOD PRESERVATIVE - If you replace the sugar in cake and cookie recipes with honey, they'll stay                              fresher longer. Reduce liquids in the mixture by about one-fifth to allow for the                                         moisture present in the in honey.
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