SEPTEMBER IS NATIONAL HONEY MONTH
The month of September is National Honey Month! It was established in 1989 by the National Honey Board, it’s purpose is to raise awareness on bees, apiculture, pollination and to promote honey as nature’s favorite sweetener.
September was declared as National Honey Month because the largest produce of honey in most of the US comes during this month. That’s when bees stockpile honey and secure their hives to prepare for the upcoming winter.
Honey is produced by bees when collecting nectar from flowers and blossoms or when collecting honeydew from the excretions of aphids feeding on tree sap. Honeybees are such hard workers! They visit about 50-100 flowers each, per trip, to gather nectar and pollen to the hive. Altogether, approximately 50,000-70,000 bees from one hive, will fly over 55,000 miles on about 2 million flowers for about 1 pound of honey. A single worker bee will produce only an average of 1/12 teaspoon of honey in her lifetime!
Importance of National Honey Month
Not only is honey sweet and delicious, but it is known for its nutritional values. substance! Honey has been used in medicine since the ancient times, both internally and externally, from healing and protecting wounds to combating colds, building stronger immune systems and helping us sleep better. It’s even been used in cosmetology, and is still used as such up to this day!
There are hundreds of varieties of honey in the world and about 300 honey varieties in the US alone. They are classified as monofloral types of honey, because the honey produced comes from a specific type of flower or blossom. And that’s how we have all those different honey varieties in the US, such as clover honey, buckwheat honey, citrus honey or sage honey.
Although National Honey Month features the sweet golden bee’s honey, it also brings to light how pollination plays a very important role in agriculture. Approximately 15 billion dollars of US agriculture comes from increased quality and quantity of harvests due to bee pollination. Thanks to bee pollination, we are able to enjoy fruits and vegetables! Bees are so important to our overall agriculture success.
Ways to Celebrate National Honey Month
Visit Local Beekeepers
Plan a visit to your local beekeepers during National Honey Month, and learn something new about the fine art of apiculture and its benefits. You may also get a chance to try-out their different varieties or even leave with a souvenir! You should always show your support for local farmers and by straight from the source.
Create a Bee-Friendly Paradise
Bees love flowers due to its vibrant colors but they have a preference for blue, purple and yellow flowers. That’s because their vision can distinguish colors of that spectrum easier than others. Another reason is that blue and purple flowers tend to produce higher amounts of nectar. So, start planting more of these flowers and let the bees come!
Share Your Love for Honey
Spread awareness for the bees by sharing honey content on your social media. Share facts, photos, recipes, crafts! Anything that might help people realize the importance of bees in our lives.
Donate to the Cause
With the recent wildfires all around the world, there are thousands of beekeepers struggling these days to come by. Make a donation to help them stand on their feet and continue their business.
So this month, celebrate National Honey Month and say thanks to the bees and honey industry. We appreciate all your sweetness and hard work!