We asked North Carolina beekeeper David Cowart why do honeybees make honey, and what are honey’s benefits?
Honeybees make honey so that they can keep the superorganism of the hive going through the winter. They make honey through a very intricate process that starts when the bees travel to flowers up to 3 square miles around their hive to gather nectar, and then they return to the hive to complete the many steps remaining in the process. This process allows them to have the energy they need to raise their young and stay warm.
See more: Ask a Farmer: How Have You Preserved Your Farm’s History?
People get many benefits from honey. One is that it tastes sweet – in fact, honey was man’s first sweetener! Additionally, honey has several health benefits. Before antibiotics, honey was used to heal wounds. Honey is also very rich in vitamins, containing vitamins A, B-complex, C, D, K, and E, beta-carotene, calcium, chlorine, copper, iodine, and iron.
About the Farmer: David Cowart is a member of the North Carolina Beekeepers Association. He serves on the Buncombe County Farm Bureau board and on North Carolina Farm Bureau’s Beekeeper, Pollination & Honey Advisory Committee.
