Save the bees!
We need the bees. They help pollinate our fields which helps us produce our food. Supporting our local honeybee population greatly increases the chances of a plant producing fruits or veggies. And it helps save our coffee! (Which we are highly addicted to over here at The Hive.)
"The hum of bees is the voice of the garden." — Emily Dickinson
As we are named after the humble honeybee, we love to give back to those that are helping our bee populations thrive. Here are our top 5 favorite bee products.
1. Ames Farm: Honey
We love honey...on everything. In our tea, on our toast, by the spoonful. We love supporting Ames Farm as their honey is made from local Minnesota bees where our HQ Hive is based. Each jar has the location, hive number, and floral source printed on the label so we know where and when the honey was harvested!
The best part about their honey is that it's single-sourced. Did you know that heating honey is unnecessary and can actually alter and deteriorate the different flavors? We didn't either before stumbling upon Ames' honey. Being single-sourced, you can taste the florally difference between dandelion honey and sweet clover honey. It's amazing in a cup of Tazo's Wild Sweet orange tea.
2. Bare Honey: Solar Grown
Bee habitats are decreasing at an alarming rate. Pesticides and decreasing native habitats contribute to bee malnutrition causing bees to have weakened immune systems. This leads bees to be more susceptible to diseases.
To help combat the shrinking habitats, Bare Honey has taken a novel approach to generating energy while feeding the bees. They produce Solar Grown Honey™ from hives placed upon solar arrays. Surrounding the solar arrays are thriving plots of bee friendly habitats that help nourish the bee colonies as well as producing clean energy for the farm.
The result is delicious honey produced by healthy, well-fed bees with an added boost of doing more good for the environment with clean energy production.
3. University of Minnesota: Bee Squad
Want to start your own hive? Join the U of M Bee Squad Bee Network and add a bit of science to your bee keeping.
The U of M Bee Squad gathers intel on your beehive to study the health of the bees, the hive, and the honey production. They also help determine if any permits are needed in your area for the hive as well as honey bottling service.
Not quite ready for your own hive but still want to help? Become a Bee Ambassador! Receive training and take that newly learned knowledge into the community to help educate others on the importance of bees, beekeeping, and bee health.
4. Worker B: Skincare
Honey isn't just good to eat, it's good for the skin. By using all natural ingredients from their hives, Worker B's products are great for those with sensitive skin. They can help prevent acne breakouts, calm itchy patches, soothe sunburn, and moisturize dry skin. We're obsessed with their All-Purpose Balm since it's in an easy to carry tin and can be used for dry hands, lips, and annoying little heat spots.
If lotion isn't your thing, they also have amazing beeswax candles that are a home favorite during the holiday's and some yummy tea.
You can also find them at the Mall of America if you'd like to check out their products in person.
5. Portland Bee Balm: Chapstick
We are leaving Minnesota and jumping over to urban Portland, OR where we fell in love with this all natural chapstick. We are partial to the Oregon Mint flavor but love the variety pack when it comes to family holiday gift giving (stocking stuffers!).
One of the best parts about PBB is that they recycle their chapstick tubes. Instead of adding plastic to landfills, they'll take your empty tubes and recycle them and for every 10 that you send them, you get a free tube (we love freebies!).
If you'd like to try your hand at making candles, your own lip balm, or beeswax wraps, you can purchase beeswax by the pound.