Oh Honey...Really?

My husband was asking me the other day about why the honey we buy is called “raw.” What’s the big deal? What’s the difference between this little jar and what we used to buy at the supermarket? So I launched a little research project.

I wasn’t too surprised to read about a study showing that 75% of honey sold in supermarkets is…not really honey. In fact, it’s so processed that it ends up as just sugar. Most of the pollen is removed through heavy filtration. The end result is homogenized and, in my opinion, low-flavored “honey product.”

Furthermore, Leah Zerbe, in her article on honey for Rodale publications, notes, “The problem with removing … microscopic pollen particles is this: without the pollen, there’s really no way to trace where the honey originated, or if the source is safe and uncontaminated. (Previous reports have found honey laced with antibiotics and heavy metals.) And for this filtration to work, the honey is often heated, which can damage some of the natural products’ disease-fighting properties.”

In Lamoille County, we’re lucky to have the products of Honey Do Farm. You can order their delicious raw honey through www.Yourfarmstand.com at the Morrisville market. And here’s a Spanish home remedy to knock out a cold with honey. We use it at my house; we buy Honey Do farm honey, and we’re very healthy!

Garlic Tea with Honey

In a large saucepan, bring 3 cups of water and 3 cloves of garlic (cut in half) to a boil. Turn off the heat when the water boils, and add ½ cup raw honey and ½ cup of fresh lemon juice. Strain. Sip ½ cup, warm, three times a day. Refrigerate extra to use the next day. (Prevention, 2003)

LEDC Supports Local Ag through Yourfarmstand.com

Lamoille County has an impressive array of farms and producers of value-added agricultural products. From small family farms to wineries, the Valley has promoted the localvore movement since before it was a trend.

The Lamoille Economic Development Corp has stepped to the plate, so to speak, to market farms and agricultural products more visibly and to support the ag community. With the help of an advisory group comprised of farmers and entrepreneurs, LEDC launched a local franchise of  Yourfarmstand.com in July 2011. The project quickly became a viable way for small producers and large to distribute products and for customers to appreciate the “Bounty of the County.”

Marketing and Supporting Family Farms

Yourfarmstand.com  is an on-line farmers’ market which saves the farmer valuable time, cuts down on the distance food travels to the consumer, and brings the freshest and tastiest food within reach of busy buyers. Unlike a traditional CSA, consumers buy only what they want, when they want it and pay as they go. Farmers, even those who sell to larger distributors such as Black River Produce, can find new customers for their “brands” through Yourfarmstand.com  And for budding entrepreneurs, it’s a good way to learn and experiment with marketing.

Farmers list their products for sale on the site, and customers buy only the products they need. All payment is transacted securely through Pay Pal. On market day (Thursday), vendors drop off their goods in baskets marked for each customer. Customers stop by at Rock Art Brewery to pick up their basket of goods, kept fresh just for them. The entire transaction takes about 5 minutes.

Building a Network for Ag Promotion

The Yourfarmstand.com project provides a handy network on which to build other projects to promote the County’s agriculture infrastructure. Agri-tourism is a fine way to bring business to area farms, and to make people aware of the importance of agricultural businesses to the community.

We have only to step into the Stowe Visit Center to hear that a “visit to a farm” is one of the most popular requests. And the success of bicycle tours to farms, breweries, fiber producers (llama farms) and localvore restaurants in other Vermont regions can be replicated in Lamoille Valley with similar success. Everyone benefits when the tourist dollar enters the community system this way.

Projects on the drawing board for LEDC include a farm tour partnership with the Stowe Resort, and an on-line and brochure-type map of Lamoille County Farms which are open to visits and tourism. As bicycle paths are developed in the region, they create another venue for farm to brewery visits, and the like. The popular “Tour de Farms” staged in the Champlain Valley are testament to how popular and lucrative these can be for market-savvy agriculturalists.