What is the difference between the members of our honey family?

According to their origin, we divide honeys into nectar, honeydew and mixed honeys.

Nectar honeys are produced by bees from the nectar of flowers. They are known as single-type honeys made from the nectar of one type of flower (e.g. acacia honey, rapeseed honey, lime honey, etc.) and multi-type honeys made from the nectar of different types of flowers (e.g. floral honey, forest honey). The different types of honey are different in colour, aroma, taste, consistency and composition. These differences are due to the different origins of the honey, with each honey replicating to some extent the characteristics of the plant from which it comes.

Honeydew honeys come from the honeydew - the thick, sweet sap of leaves or needles produced by aphids. These tiny insects impale the plant's skin and suck the sap from it. Some of it is consumed for energy conversion and other metabolic processes. The rest is excreted in the form of tiny droplets of honeydew, and it is these that the bees harvest for honey.

Mixed honeys are produced from both nectar and honeydew.


How come bees only collect honey from a particular plant?

If a beekeeper wants to obtain a single-type honey, he needs to know well the sources of laying in the range of his bees. Bees behave "economically" and will use the available brood that they like best. The larger the source and the closer it is to the hives, the more likely the bees are to produce pure single-species honey. A good beekeeper also knows when each species is flowering and will spin the honey out of the hives before the expected laying. He then returns the empty frames to the bees ready for the production of more honey.

Why should babies under one year old not eat honey?

Honey is a purely natural product and could contain spores of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, which produce a neurotoxin known as botulinum toxin (BoNT). In the gut of an older child or adult, the intestinal microflora will not allow these bacteria to multiply. However, the baby's digestive system is immature at birth and is still developing during the first year. Worldwide, researchers have not yet confirmed a single case of botulism (due to ingestion of honey) in children older than one year.

What is creamy honey?

Honey paste is a process of controlled crystallisation where honey is mechanically stirred several times a day. The stirring crushes the honey crystals, giving it a fine-grained, creamy consistency. During pasteurisation, the honey is processed exclusively mechanically, without heating and without any additives. It retains all its valuable substances and is just as valuable as 'liquid' honey.

Honey fans love creamy honey because it is easy to scoop, spread, does not run and does not change its creamy consistency.

Why does honey crystallize?

Don't worry, crystallization is a natural property of honey. It is caused by the balance of glucose and fructose (simple sugars), which make up the majority of the honey's content. Honeys that are higher in glucose (grape sugar) crystallize faster than those higher in fructose (fruit sugar). For example, acacia honey is high in fructose and therefore virtually does not crystallise. On the contrary, such rapeseed honey crystallises after only a few days of crystallization.

Is honey raw?

Yes, it is! Also honey wants to be modern and carry itself home in a basket on a bicycle. The RAW FOOD label means that the food has not been chemically or thermally treated and thus does not destroy the nutritional value. In the case of honey, this is doubly true. That's why our honeys do not undergo any heat or chemical treatments during processing and all the valuable substances (enzymes, minerals, vitamins, etc.) are preserved. When melting the crystallized honey back into a liquid state, we only use a thermo chamber with a max. setting of 37 °C.

How long is the durability of honey?

At our hive, we respect the law and therefore we put a best-before date of 3 years on our honey.

However, honey will never spoil if stored properly. If you put the honey in a dark, cool place in a tightly sealed container, it will last until you eat it all. However, always remember to scoop the honey with a clean, dry spoon. Even one gentle lick of the spoon can introduce moisture into the honey, which over time will cause the honey to ferment.

What kind of hives is our honey from?

Until a few years ago, we only needed honey from our own hives. However, you are enjoying honey more and more, so we have called on the help of other quality and reliable beekeepers. We check our neighbour's bees regularly and specialist laboratories also supervise the single batches of honey.

How to use propolis tincture?

Propolis tincture is an effective and proven remedy against a lot of diseases:

  • all fever-inducing diseases: 30 drops 3 times a day,
  • female transition one full year before the expected transition: 1 x daily 10 drops,
  • inflammation of the male prostate gland: 3 times a day, 1 teaspoon in 0.1 l of water,
  • elevated blood pressure: 1 x daily 30 drops in the evening before going to bed,
  • inflammation of the kidneys and liver: 2 x daily 1 teaspoon in 0.1 litre of warm water, with treatment to be interrupted every 14 days and repeated until cured,
  • angina, sore throat, flu, etc.: 1 teaspoon into 0.2 litres of warm water and gargle frequently daily,
  • stomach ulcer or duodenal ulcer: 1 teaspoon in 0.1 l of warm milk in the morning on an empty stomach,
  • blistering and swelling: apply propolis compresses to the affected areas,
  • for healing skin defects: rub the affected areas with the tincture,
  • aftershave: 1 teaspoon into 0,1 l of warm water,
  • infections and diseases caused by bacteria: 5 cl of tincture in ¼ litre of boiled water for rubbing,
  • respiratory problems: 2 times a week, 5 cl of tincture in ¼ l of hot water for inhalation over the solution,
  • fungal diseases of the legs and arms: rub the affected areas with the tincture,
  • toothache: place a swab soaked in tincture on the sore tooth,
  • stomach and abdominal pains: 1 teaspoon into 0.1 l of warm water for drinking,
  • 1st degree burns and blisters, old wounds, bedsores: first wash the affected areas with a decoction of burdock, then rub with the tincture,
  • hangover cure: 50 drops in 0.1 l of cold water for drinking,
  • strengthening immunity: 1 drop for each kilogram of weight, dividing the total number of drops into 3 doses during the day.

When the propolis tincture is mixed with water, a milky-coloured emulsion is formed. Protect the propolis from contact with metal. Test for allergies to propolis before use. Rub a piece of skin on the inside of your forearm. If you don't get rashes within 24 hours, you can use it with gusto. If you are taking it for a long time, take a short break.

How to prepare propolis tincture?

The best way to make it is to leave 20 g of dry propolis in the freezer so that the wax hardens and the propolis is easier to work with. Crumble the contents of the bag, pour into a bottle and pour in 200 ml of potable alcohol or home-made spirit. The higher the alcohol content, the better. Store in a dark place and shake the bottle every day. Leave to infuse for 2 weeks. Finally, strain the contents through filter paper (coffee filter) and you're ready to use! But if you need propolis tincture right away, we have it ready for you here .

How to use pollen correctly?

Flower pollen is a pure natural product of the honey bee, which contains 3-14% fatty acids (linoleic, linolenic and arachidonic acid), 15-35% carbohydrates, a number of vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, C, carotene, provitamin A, biotin, E and ruby), substances with antibiotic properties, growth hormones and 2-7 % of trace minerals (iron, copper, potassium, sodium, magnesium, calcium and silicon). Such bee pollen even contains 5-7 times more amino acids than beef, eggs or cheese.

You will appreciate the healing effects of bee pollen for all kinds of problems:

  • problems related to the digestive tract such as inflammation and bowel disease or regulation of bowel function, counteracts diarrhea and stimulates stomach function,
  • heart disease, metabolic disorders, menopause, atrophy of subcutaneous tissue,
  • fungi,
  • prostate problems,
  • psyche, calms the nerves, reduces states of excitement, improves the dynamics of the spirit,
  • overweight and underweight problems,
  • diabetes, lowering blood sugar,
  • exhaustion, fatigue and weakening of the body,
  • eye problems,
  • vhair loss and increased brittleness of nails,
  • promotes blood circulation to the brain and improves the ability to think,
  • anaemia,
  • cancer, suitable nutritional supplement,
  • antibiotic effects.

Dosage:

  • First week 1 tablespoon daily in the morning on an empty stomach,
  • second and third week 1 tablespoon half an hour before breakfast and 1 tablespoon before dinner,
  • fourth week 1 tablespoon daily in the morning on an empty stomach.

It is more pleasant if you mix the pollen with honey, marmalade, curd, butter, fruit juices or porridge made from oatmeal.

If you like to dab natural face masks on your face, be sure to try a pollen mask as well. Mix freshly ground pollen with a fresh egg yolk and massage the mixture lightly into the skin on your face and neck. Leave on for at least half an hour and you'll see!

We always have pollen ready for you here in our online shop.

What is a perga?

Perga is pollen processed by hard-working bees directly in the hive, where it is mixed with honey and left to ferment gently. This product is then 50% more effective than pollen grains. The use is the same as for ordinary pollen, except that you only need to take 1-2 teaspoons a day.

You can also buy perga right here!

Why is manuka honey special?

Manuka honey is produced nowhere else in the world than in New Zealand. Comvita is the world's largest producer of the highest quality UMF manuka honey and only produces honeys that are certified with the UMF trademark. UMF stands for 'unique manuka factor' and refers to the independently measured quality of honey produced by bees from the nectar of the manuka bush (Leptospermum scoparium), which grows only in New Zealand. Only some manuka honeys carry the UMF trademark. Each batch of Comvita manuka honey is tested by independent laboratories for methylglyoxal, DHA and leptosperin, the substances that are so exceptional in manuka honey. All honeys have antibacterial activity due to their hydrogen peroxide content and UMF manuka honey also has non-peroxide antibacterial activity.

All about manuka honey and a list of licensed producers can be found at www.umf.org.nz