ORGANIC FOODS ARE OUR BASIC BUILDING BLOCKS
I was a young mother in the 1960’s. I breast fed my babies when the doctors advised that “bottle feeding” was best. I shopped the grocery stores for the freshest produce even though the “TV Dinner” was the greatest time-saver on the shelf. I read the product labels on every food item I bought, just to know what we were eating. I wanted my children to be healthy and in order to be healthy, I was convinced that their diets had to be the best.
I was a trusting mother and consumer. I believed that food companies were truthful and that additives were safe, but I began to question the food colorings, stabilizers, preservatives, and hydrogenated oils listed on the labels of the food I was buying. I had an intuitive belief that food should be eaten as close to the natural state as possible, so something did not feel right about this. How could these man-made chemical additives be nutritious, and how on earth could we possibly know – in the long term – if they were safe? How could we, as consumers, allow the food processing companies to slowly poison us?
Thus began my foray into the world of organics. I became increasingly concerned about the safety of many of the ingredients listed on the labels, not to mention all the “hidden ingredients” of which we are not informed. What about the elements that are in the soil and the plant before it is processed for our consumption? Our bodies are not designed to process chemical fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics, synthetic steroids, and genetically modified organisms! What will our bodies, and our planet, be like after a few more generations of toxins and GMO’s?
NEW ZEALAND: AN OASIS IN THE PACIFIC
During the golden years of my retirement, I worked at an apiary in New Zealand. I came to appreciate different floral varieties of honey that are not native to the United States. Manuka is one of my favorites. It is the “Healing Honey of the Tea Tree” and has a vigorous barley and caramel flavor. The kids all love the milder flavors of Rata, Rewarewa, and Pohutukawa, but there are also more full-bodied varieties like the floral Blue Borage, the buttery Kamahi, and the dessert chefs’ favorite, Tawari. Unlike a blended honey, these are all monofloral-source honeys which retain their distinctive flavors from batch to batch. After experiencing the intense taste of these New Zealand honeys, I have found standard clover and wildflower honeys to be rather bland.
I quickly recognized that my opportunity to “save the world” was emerging. True to my heart, those little bees produced organic honey! Working with organic beekeepers on the south island of New Zealand, I made the commitment to bring these rare organic honeys to the United States. I feel privileged to have found so many beekeepers who are committed to the organic philosophy. Consequently, along with my organic “banner,” I am also waving the honey “banner!”
These days, when my grandchildren beg me for “candy,” I never feel guilty when I give them a native New Zealand organic honey treat. Honey is more nutritious and sweeter than sugar. It is packed with vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. Athletes have discovered that honey provides energy and endurance. The medical profession has reported that honey is a natural antioxidant, a natural antibiotic, and may help prevent cavities. Studies have proven honey’s effectiveness in treating wounds. Honey also has been shown to promote the mobility of joint tissue. All around, honey beats other sweeteners hands down!
ORGANIC HONEY IS A RARE COMMODITY
Across the globe, mites and diseases such as varroa and American Foulbrood have threatened the supply of honey and the health of the honey bee. Many beekeepers have been forced to treat their bees and bee hives with chemicals and antibiotics to ensure the supply of honey. In addition, because bees collect pollen and nectar in a radius of about 3 miles from their hives, the residues of chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, and GMO's used in agriculture and on public lands can appear in honey. As a result, most of the commercially-produced honey on the grocery shelves is far from being the “natural” product one would expect.
There are few places around the world where organic honey can be produced due to the intense certification process required. No chemicals or drugs are allowed in or around the bees or their hives or in the materials used to construct their hives. Additionally, all land within the bees' flying radius must be certified organic. New Zealand is an established nuclear-free zone and has been judicious in its use of chemicals in agriculture and public lands and proudly boasts locations that are environmentally pure and uncontaminated. Our certified organic honey is also USDA approved.
BRINGING THE MESSAGE HOME
Now, along with my children and my grandchildren, my objective is to spread the message about organics, especially honey, to a larger audience. Organic food is not just “designer” food. There is scientific evidence available to prove that it is more nutritious than the old additive-laden alternative. My beliefs also extend to cosmetics and all skin preparations including soaps and lotions, because anything that goes on your skin goes in your body. Organic health is my passion!
I am proud to bring these pure, natural, and organic products to the American dinner table. Organic honey is a limited and precious commodity. We carry a high quality product line, and we believe in aligning ourselves only with suppliers who share the same ethics and a similar vision.
Bob"Bee" - The Wild Bee
