Liz at Lancaster ‘Natural’ honey
Once upon a time, many years ago, like Pooh Bear, I went in search of the perfect honey. It was before the days of fake news and alternative facts when I still believed those who knew more than me. So when I asked a supplier of natural honey why honey was irradiated, I believed him when he said “to get rid of the harmful effects of the pesticides that have been used on the plants from which the bees have gathered their nectar. And if an area is pesticide free, there is no need to irradiate the honey”. I didn’t question how far bees can fly and for years, at every opportunity I could, I passed on what I thought was fascinating ‘fact’. Until, that is, I repeated it to somebody who knows way more than me about irradiation, and to be fair, also than my honey supplier. She looked at me quizzically and said “Why would pesticides contain pathogens?” As I glazed over she explained gently (unlike my abrasive dismissals, she is a gentle in her challenges) that irradiation is used to control pathogens (viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites). I looked flummoxed and said in a somewhat helpless deflated way “Dunno”. And I do love her … by midday she had sent me a link to Peels Honey blog:
Most honey on South African retailers’ shelves is imported – over the past two decades, South Africa’s honey imports have grown to roughly 60% of total available honey in South Africa. In 2019, South Africa imported 3000 tons of honey, 80% of which came from China. In 2009 and 2015, South Africa experienced outbreaks of American Foul Brood (AFB) disease, which threatened the country’s food security by wiping out thousands of bee colonies across the Western Cape. The disease was probably introduced into South Africa by imported honey and is an existential threat to beekeeping in South Africa. To avoid a repeat of this and similar outbreaks, importers are required by law to “irradiate” imported honey to kill any bacteria and pathogens. This measure protects South African bees and local beekeeping operations. Peel’s prides itself in only selling pure, non-irradiated South African honey.
Branding Liz at Lancaster honey
Way back then in 2013, after finding the perfect honey, I then set about branding the special tube I had found for said perfect honey with the story that said honey supplier had told me about irradiated honey.
And of course if you leave the tube lying down there is always a little drip of sweetness to tempt ants on the table cloth. So the next step was to find a container to enable keeping the tube upright. It was to the local street beadmakers I turned.
For the truly astonishing large-scale beaded military machine see my blog on the Casspir Project.
And in the meantime visit Liz at Lancster to taste our natural honey!