Watching Taos Honey Co. owner Mike McMannon at work with his bees is a form of bliss. His company produces raw, whipped, amber, and CBD-infused honeys.
Ah, honey. That sweet goodness. Not only is it the color of gold, but just as valuable given its many uses. Since ancient times, it has been used for medicinal purposes, like sore throats, as an antiseptic for skin care, mosquito bites, even hangovers, and of course—to sweeten. It is said that consuming local honey may help with allergies since it contains pollen from the same plants that cause symptoms—kind of a natural vaccine.
New Mexico beekeeper Ken Hays, who has been harvesting honey since 1970, sells actual bee pollen specifically to alleviate seasonal allergies. He says that taking the pollen supports the immune system’s ability to ward off symptoms. As for his honey, he says that because of the low humidity in the region, New Mexican honey has less water content, hence stronger medicinal properties and a more robust flavor. “It’s really a superior honey,” he says.
Honey is likened to wine varietals since its flavor and scent change to reflect weather conditions and where the bees find their nectar. The darker colors, like honeys made from buckwheat, have a more intense flavor and richer nutritional value. Lighter colored honey tends to have a milder taste.
Local Honey in New Mexico
If you’re looking for help with allergies or simply for something sweet, here are some of our local favorites.
A-Bee Honey
Earning a reputation for educating bee enthusiasts and contributing to research on honeybees, husband-and-wife duo Ed and Louella Costanza of Belen have been working with honeybees for nearly 60 years. “We have hundreds of colonies that we move around,” says Louella. The couple mainly uses Italian bees because of their docile nature, as opposed to more aggressive breeds. They sell bees to backyard beekeepers and honey-making entrepreneurs throughout New Mexico.
Bee Chama Honey
How about a little avocado-flavored honey? You’re bound to find something to suit your palate at Bee Chama Honey. They offer up to 26 varieties at any given time—orange blossom, desert wildflower, wild blueberry, snowberry, among others.
Hays Honey & Apple Farm
If anyone knows his way around a hive, it’s Ken Hays of Hays Honey & Apple Farm in Bosque Farms. After a career as an air-traffic controller, Hays turned to harvesting full time in 1988. Now in his late 80s, he still works six days a week and loves every minute. “I’m one of those young 86s,” he jokes and says that educating people on beekeeping and its challenges is what he enjoys most. “I thought being an air-traffic controller was technical, but beekeeping is even more so.” Hays loves taking visitors on tours of the farm. In addition to preservative-free raw honeys, the farm’s Honey Hut offers facial products, beeswax candles, beekeeping supplies and a propolis tincture that Hays says is a natural immune booster.
High Desert Honey Co.
My friend Melody swears by High Desert Honey Co. for personal use and for gift giving. “They make the perfect gift, especially the assorted sizes and flavor gift sets,” she says. The Taos-based farm also makes unique decorative beeswax candles, skincare products and naturally medicinal honey combinations, like the antiviral garlic honey and root defense golden spice honey that contains a goody-jar full of herbs and spices for anti-inflammatory, digestive health, and cold-and-flu aid.
Los Poblanos Farm Shop
As a lover of lavender and of Los Poblanos, the lavender-infused honey is my personal favorite, particularly the creamed version. Its thicker consistency is perfect to spread on toast, stirred in a cup of tea, or as treat on its own. Unpasteurized without added sugars or preservatives, it comes straight from the hives to your table. Order online or visit the shops at the Albuquerque farm or Los Poblanos North in Santa Fe.
Taos Honey Co.
Another notable honeybee farm from Taos (technically, El Prado) is Taos Honey Co. Raw, whipped and amber honey are available, as is their specialty—CBD honey. “We feel the benefits of cannabis-derived CBD are a natural match with the thick viscosity of raw, natural, unfiltered honey,” says owner Mike McMannon, “Infusing CBD into honey allows it to be absorbed orally, rather than through the tummy as an edible product.”
Story by Wendy Ilene Friedman
Photography by Sean Ratliff
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