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Monday, February 28, 2011

Emergency Preparedness --Revised-The Food that Never Spoils

Honey never spoils. It may crystallize, but as long as it's pure honey, it's safe.


Grocery store honey is better than none, but go "a-field" for your honey. Local producers will appreciate your business, and their honey contains substances native to your area that may help treat allergies.


Maybe you'll be lucky enough to find a keeper that doesn't use commercial frames with cells already in place. You can get beeswax then. There is something special about the hand-dipped beeswax candles Art makes. The color is a lovely gold, and the fragrance is heavenly.


Back to honey.... and sore throats. The old fashioned brew of hot lemonade with honey is soothing, and has anti-bacterial effects as it bathes your throat. Some folks like to add a bit of something "special" to kick up the effects. Whiskey is another kind of painkiller altogether. The non-alcoholic variety is good for kids past 18 months old. Never give honey to kids younger than 18 months old; it can cause infant botulism!


In a pinch I've treated chickens sick with upper respiratory problems with honey and lemon. On a Sunday when my supply of Terracycline in the vet box was used up I figured it was better than nothing. It held them over until the feed store opened Monday morning.

*Cruising the bookstore yesterday (3-2-11) I ran across an article in the February Acres USA magazine "Healing With Honey"by Nathaniel Altman. He discusses the use of honey to treat MRSA infections. Apparently the results are amazing. This excellent article is well worth reading for other medicinal uses of honey, too.


Try making jam with honey; the flavor is phenominal in pear preserves. Just remember to use sugar free pectin. It contains instructions for using honey, which may not jell using regular pectin.
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Received my copy of Dinner Is In the Jar through Amazon.com. I shouldn't have been so stubborn about ordering it. It's well worth the money. The recipes are yummy, and the author gives instructions on making your own mylar food storage bags using a scissors and iron. Jars can be expensive unless youre married to a jar collector. Thanks, Art!


Shocked at the price of freeze dried meat, my next project is to can meat. First I need a new pressure canner. I'm sorry I sold mine ten years ago. I even found directions for home canning bacon!

2 comments:

  1. A local apple orchard in the town I grew up in sold honeycomb... we chewed it like candy.

    I remember once resorting to Southern Comfort and honey for a stubborn sore throat when all else failed.

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  2. Greetings from Texas,
    Glad to be of service sweetheart. Thanks for the plug on the candles.

    ReplyDelete