Honey bees are the most important pollinators and help plants grow. In particular, many of our food sources that we enjoy everyday are pollinated by bees. At Source, we love bees for all that they do for us and we love that our honey is sourced from local farmers that respect and protect our bee communities.

Why Buying Local Honey is Important

When you choose to sweeten your food or drink with raw honey instead of sugar you’re making a more conscious choice for your health and for the environment. Consuming raw honey sourced from local beekeepers promotes the health of your local ecosystem. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, a third of the world’s food production depends on bees.  Through the pollination of trees and plants, bees keep our local crops healthy until they are ready to be harvested. Replacing processed sugars with locally sourced, raw honey is beneficial to your personal health, your local bee population, the environment at large, and local beekeepers.. 

Personal Health

When buying honey you want to make sure you look for raw, unpasteurized, honey which means it has not been processed yet and still holds all the beneficial vitamins and antioxidants that support your immune system. It is these properties in addition to raw honey containing traces of pollen that gives it powerful medicinal properties. Raw honey is a natural source of protection against bacterial and  fungal infections, so consuming it can prevent illness or reduce symptoms from a cold or flu. Particularly, the anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties found in raw honey can significantly reduce the symptoms of a cough or sore throat.

Raw honey can not only help you when you’re sick but it can also help if you suffer from seasonal allergies. According to anecdotal evidence (the clinical research is far and few), the pollen that is present in raw honey can prevent allergic reactions that people sometimes experience with the changing of seasons. Pollen has allergens in it that come from the exact environment in which you live so consuming it is in a way like exposure therapy.

It’s important to note that honey, just like any other sweetener should be consumed in moderation. Honey is actually more potent in its sweetness than sugar so you need way less of it to do the job. 

Supporting Your Neighborhood Bees

Buying raw honey from local beekeepers promotes your local population of bees. The beekeepers in your community are more likely to utilize beekeeping practices that protect their hives from collapse. By avoiding pesticides and insecticides that can completely eradicate a local bee population, beekeepers are the experts in supporting your local ecosystem. The beehives that can be found in agricultural areas are crucial to the survival of those crops because of their pollinating power. Another way to positively impact the bees in your neighborhood is by planting native pollinating trees and/or plants in your yard so the bees have plenty of pollen to collect!

Local Honey: Local Business 

When buying raw honey from beekeepers in your community you are not only supporting the local ecosystem but also contributing to the livelihoods of a small business. Many beekeepers are in small rural communities where beekeeping contributes to much of their income. By purchasing honey from  these beekeepers you contribute to the success of their business and to your local economy as whole.

About Source 

Source offers a selection of the highest-quality produce, goods and more sourced local, organic, ethical, sustainable and as regenerative as possible. From the farm box to the market, all of our products are for and from the earth. We are committed to sustainable practices for an invested connected community, in an authentic space that will endure.

Visit us in store to view our selection of locally sourced honey or shop online. Online orders are typically available for pickup within 1-2 hours.