Guides on raw honey, beekeeping and herbalism from South Coast Massachusetts.https://www.nettiesbees.com/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/does-honey-go-bad/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/does-honey-go-bad/Properly stored honey doesn't go bad: edible honey was found in 3,000-year-old Egyptian tombs. Why it lasts, what can spoil it, and how to store it.Sun, 26 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/how-does-a-bee-swarm-work/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/how-does-a-bee-swarm-work/A bee swarm looks alarming but is one of nature's most peaceful events. Why bees swarm, how they choose a new home, and what to do if you see one.Sat, 11 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/queen-bee-role/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/queen-bee-role/The queen bee doesn't rule the hive; she serves it. What she does all day, from laying eggs to pheromone signals, and how a colony raises or replaces her.Sat, 11 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/what-is-bee-venom/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/what-is-bee-venom/Bee venom (apitoxin) is one of nature's most complex venoms. What it's made of, why honeybees sting, what happens in your body, and how to treat a sting.Sat, 11 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/what-is-propolis/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/what-is-propolis/Propolis is the resin bees use to seal and sterilize the hive. What it's made of, how it's used, and what research shows for oral health, sore throats and skin.Sat, 11 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/what-is-royal-jelly/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/what-is-royal-jelly/Royal jelly is made by young worker bees to feed larvae and create queens. What it is, how bees make it, how it differs from honey, and what to look for.Sat, 11 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/how-bees-prepare-for-spring/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/how-bees-prepare-for-spring/Spring starts in the hive weeks before the first flowers. Cleansing flights, the queen's first eggs, a population boom, and what early foragers look for.Thu, 09 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/how-far-do-bees-travel-to-make-honey/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/how-far-do-bees-travel-to-make-honey/Forager bees usually fly within one to two miles of the hive and up to five. How they find flowers, how many it takes to fill a jar, and why local matters.Thu, 09 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/what-is-elderberry/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/what-is-elderberry/Elderberry has been used in traditional medicine for thousands of years. What the plant is, where it grows, how it was used, and what research says today.Wed, 08 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/bee-waggle-dance/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/bee-waggle-dance/Honeybees dance to share the direction and distance of a flower patch. How the waggle dance works, how accurate it is, and why it won a Nobel Prize.Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/boneset-herb/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/boneset-herb/Boneset was the most widely used medicinal herb in 19th-century America, then largely forgotten. What it is, where it grows, its history and traditional uses.Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/buckwheat-honey/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/buckwheat-honey/Buckwheat honey is dark, earthy and bold, with more antioxidants than clover honey. Where it comes from, why it tastes the way it does, and how to use it.Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/history-of-beekeeping/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/history-of-beekeeping/People have kept bees for at least 9,000 years. From Spanish rock paintings and Egyptian temple apiaries to the invention that made modern beekeeping possible.Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/honey-food-pairing/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/honey-food-pairing/Honey and cheese is a pairing most people underuse. Which honey varieties go with which cheeses, charcuterie and everyday foods, and how to serve them.Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/honeybee-lifecycle/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/honeybee-lifecycle/Every bee starts as the same egg; what it's fed decides what it becomes. How a honeybee develops, what each caste does, and how long each type lives.Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/how-plant-bee-friendly-garden/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/how-plant-bee-friendly-garden/Want to help bees? Here's exactly what to plant, organized by bloom time, what's native to the Northeast, plus what to stop doing that hurts them more than you realize.Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/native-bees-vs-honeybees/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/native-bees-vs-honeybees/North America has over 4,000 native bee species, and the honeybee isn't one of them. How native bees differ, how they pollinate, and why both matter.Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/what-do-bees-do-in-winter-how-a-hive-survives-the-cold/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/what-do-bees-do-in-winter-how-a-hive-survives-the-cold/Bees don't hibernate or die off in winter; they cluster to stay warm. What happens inside the hive all winter, from the cluster to the queen's survival.Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/deer-tallow-skincare/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/deer-tallow-skincare/Tallow has been used on skin for thousands of years. What deer tallow is, why it fell out of use, why it suits human skin, and why it's making a comeback.Sun, 05 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/what-is-an-herbal-tincture/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/what-is-an-herbal-tincture/Tinctures are one of the oldest ways to preserve medicinal plants. What a tincture is, how it's made, why alcohol is used, and how it differs from tea.Sat, 04 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/lithuanian-beekeeping-traditions/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/lithuanian-beekeeping-traditions/Lithuania's beekeeping tradition is thousands of years old, rooted in mythology and recognized by UNESCO. Nettie learned it from her father as a child.Fri, 03 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/foraging-elderberries/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/foraging-elderberries/Elderberries grow wild across North America and ripen in late summer. When to harvest, how to strip them from the stems, and how to make elderberry syrup.Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/how-bees-make-honey/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/how-bees-make-honey/Honey production is a complex chemical and biological process that involves thousands of bees and careful orchestration. Here's how bees actually make honey.Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/honey-skincare/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/honey-skincare/Honey has been used on skin for thousands of years. Here's why it works, what the research shows, and how to use raw honey in a skincare routine.Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/honey-wound-care/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/honey-wound-care/Honey has been used for wound care for thousands of years. Here's the history, what modern research has discovered about how it works, and why clinical honey is different from raw honey.Mon, 30 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/honey-and-sleep/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/honey-and-sleep/Raw honey has compounds that support sleep quality. Here's what the research shows, how honey affects sleep, and how to use it before bed for better rest.Sun, 29 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/from-nectar-to-table-the-complete-honey-production-journey/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/from-nectar-to-table-the-complete-honey-production-journey/Follow honey from flower to jar: how foragers collect nectar, how the hive turns it into honey, how beekeepers harvest, and why minimal processing matters.Thu, 26 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/antioxidants-in-raw-honey-understanding-the-health-benefits/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/antioxidants-in-raw-honey-understanding-the-health-benefits/Raw honey does contain antioxidants, but how much do they matter? What the research says, which honeys have the most, and how processing affects them.Wed, 11 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/manuka-vs-regular-honey-worth-the-price-difference/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/manuka-vs-regular-honey-worth-the-price-difference/Manuka honey often costs $30 to $50 a jar. What UMF and MGO ratings mean, how it compares with regular raw honey, and when it's worth paying for.Fri, 06 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/what-truly-makes-honey-raw-understanding-real-standards/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/what-truly-makes-honey-raw-understanding-real-standards/"Raw" honey isn't consistently defined or regulated. The temperature and filtration standards behind real raw honey, and what's lost in processing.Sun, 01 Jun 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/honey-harvest-calendar-weather-shapes-seasons/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/honey-harvest-calendar-weather-shapes-seasons/Temperature, rain and bloom timing decide how much honey bees make and how it tastes. What each season's harvest looks like and how weather changes it.Sat, 31 May 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/what-is-actually-in-raw-honey-the-nutrients-heating-destroys/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/what-is-actually-in-raw-honey-the-nutrients-heating-destroys/Pasteurized honey looks like raw honey but has lost enzymes, antioxidants and trace minerals. What's actually in raw honey and what processing takes out.Fri, 30 May 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/southcoast-massachusetts-honey/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/southcoast-massachusetts-honey/Honey from Massachusetts' Southcoast, from the cranberry bogs of Rochester and Wareham to New Bedford: local beekeepers, the bloom calendar and its flavor.Fri, 23 May 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/a-guide-to-seasonal-honey-flavor-changes-throughout-the-year/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/a-guide-to-seasonal-honey-flavor-changes-throughout-the-year/Spring honey is light and delicate; fall honey is darker and earthier. How honey changes season by season as different flowers bloom, and why it matters.Thu, 22 May 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/the-true-cost-of-cheap-honey-understanding-honey-fraud/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/the-true-cost-of-cheap-honey-understanding-honey-fraud/An estimated 30-40% of the world's honey may be adulterated. How honey is faked with syrups, origin laundering and ultrafiltration, and how to avoid it.Tue, 20 May 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/local-raw-honey-for-allergies-examining-the-evidence/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/local-raw-honey-for-allergies-examining-the-evidence/Can local raw honey ease seasonal allergies? Where the idea came from, what the research actually shows, and why you shouldn't expect honey to cure them.Mon, 19 May 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/raw-honey-safety-who-should-consume-it-important-precautions/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/raw-honey-safety-who-should-consume-it-important-precautions/Raw honey is safe for most adults, with one hard rule: no honey for babies under one. What to know about allergies, diabetes, pregnancy and weak immunity.Sat, 17 May 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/the-living-enzymes-in-raw-honey-natures-active-ingredients/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/the-living-enzymes-in-raw-honey-natures-active-ingredients/Most store-bought honey has had its enzymes cooked out. What enzymes like diastase and glucose oxidase do in raw honey, and how to keep them intact.Sat, 17 May 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/understanding-honey-grades-quality-classifications/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/understanding-honey-grades-quality-classifications/Grade A isn't a quality seal: it's a voluntary USDA grade most honey is never tested for. What honey grades, color classes and label terms really mean.Fri, 16 May 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/colony-collapse-understanding-the-threat-to-honeybees/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/colony-collapse-understanding-the-threat-to-honeybees/What colony collapse disorder is, how it differs from normal hive losses, and the parasites, pesticides, habitat loss and climate change behind bee decline.Wed, 14 May 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/how-to-store-raw-honey-preserving-quality-for-years/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/how-to-store-raw-honey-preserving-quality-for-years/Raw honey keeps indefinitely when stored right. The best containers, temperature and spot in your kitchen, plus how to handle crystallization without damage.Sat, 10 May 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/moisture-in-honey-the-critical-role-of-water-content/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/moisture-in-honey-the-critical-role-of-water-content/Too much water and honey ferments; too little and it crystallizes fast. The ideal moisture level, how beekeepers measure it, and what it means for your jar.Fri, 09 May 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/how-raw-honey-fights-bacteria-the-science-of-antimicrobial-honey/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/how-raw-honey-fights-bacteria-the-science-of-antimicrobial-honey/Hydrogen peroxide, low pH and osmotic pressure: the science behind why raw honey fights bacteria, and why it has been used against infection for millennia.Wed, 07 May 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/using-raw-honey-to-fight-cold-flu-symptoms-evidence-tips/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/using-raw-honey-to-fight-cold-flu-symptoms-evidence-tips/In a 2007 study, buckwheat honey beat a common cough medicine. What research says about honey for coughs and sore throats, how much to take, and which kind.Tue, 06 May 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/when-how-to-safely-introduce-honey-to-childrens-diets/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/when-how-to-safely-introduce-honey-to-childrens-diets/No honey before 12 months, because of infant botulism. Why the risk is real, whether raw or pasteurized matters, and how to introduce honey after age one.Mon, 05 May 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/5-ways-to-identify-genuine-raw-honey-when-shopping/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/5-ways-to-identify-genuine-raw-honey-when-shopping/"Raw" has no legal definition in the US, so the label alone can't tell you. Here are 5 signs of real raw honey, from crystallization to texture and smell.Sun, 04 May 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/honey-as-medicine-ancient-remedies-backed-by-modern-research/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/honey-as-medicine-ancient-remedies-backed-by-modern-research/From Sumerian tablets to modern clinics: how honey has been used for wounds, coughs and sore throats, and what research says about why it works.Sat, 03 May 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/how-your-honey-choices-help-all-pollinators-not-just-honeybees/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/how-your-honey-choices-help-all-pollinators-not-just-honeybees/Honeybees are one of thousands of pollinators. How sustainable beekeeping and buying raw, local honey help native bees and the wider pollinator landscape.Thu, 01 May 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/finding-your-perfect-honey-a-complete-buyers-guide/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/finding-your-perfect-honey-a-complete-buyers-guide/How to pick a raw honey you'll love: what color says about flavor, monofloral vs. polyfloral, matching varieties to how you'll use them, and judging quality.Wed, 30 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/raw-honey-as-a-prebiotic-supporting-your-gut-microbiome/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/raw-honey-as-a-prebiotic-supporting-your-gut-microbiome/Emerging research suggests compounds in raw honey may feed beneficial gut bacteria. What prebiotics are, what's in honey, and what the studies show so far.Mon, 28 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/why-honey-colors-and-flavors-vary-the-natural-science-explanation/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/why-honey-colors-and-flavors-vary-the-natural-science-explanation/Raw honey ranges from pale yellow to dark brown, and from delicate to bold. How floral source and season shape its color and flavor, and what that tells you.Fri, 25 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/comparing-natural-sweeteners-how-raw-honey-measures-up/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/comparing-natural-sweeteners-how-raw-honey-measures-up/How raw honey compares with maple syrup, coconut sugar, date syrup and other natural sweeteners on sugar content, nutrition, glycemic impact and cooking.Mon, 21 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/beyond-the-local-label-what-real-local-honey-means/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/beyond-the-local-label-what-real-local-honey-means/"Local" on a honey label can mean almost anything. What truly makes honey local, how to spot local-washing, and why buying from a nearby beekeeper matters.Thu, 17 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/complete-guide-raw-honey-varieties-floral-source/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/complete-guide-raw-honey-varieties-floral-source/From pale clover and acacia to dark buckwheat, the flowers decide a honey's color and taste. A guide to raw honey varieties, monofloral and wildflower.Mon, 14 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/beyond-sweetening-12-unexpected-ways-to-use-raw-honey/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/beyond-sweetening-12-unexpected-ways-to-use-raw-honey/Raw honey does more than sweeten tea. 12 practical uses, from preserving herbs and fermenting vegetables to face masks, minor burns and a natural cough remedy.Mon, 07 Apr 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/crystallized-honey-a-natural-quality-indicator-not-a-flaw/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/crystallized-honey-a-natural-quality-indicator-not-a-flaw/Yes, crystallized honey is safe to eat. It's natural and often a sign of real raw honey. Why honey crystallizes and how to gently make it liquid again.Mon, 24 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/8-raw-honey-myths-debunked-facts-behind-common-misconceptions/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/8-raw-honey-myths-debunked-facts-behind-common-misconceptions/Does local honey cure allergies? Has crystallized honey gone bad? Is it just sugar? 8 common raw honey myths and what the evidence actually shows.Fri, 14 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/how-to-taste-honey-like-an-expert-flavor-appreciation-guide/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/how-to-taste-honey-like-an-expert-flavor-appreciation-guide/Taste honey like wine: set up a tasting, compare varieties, and learn the four steps and the vocabulary for picking out floral, fruity and earthy notes.Mon, 10 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMThttps://www.nettiesbees.com/post/raw-honey-vs-processed-honey-the-essential-differences/https://www.nettiesbees.com/post/raw-honey-vs-processed-honey-the-essential-differences/Pasteurizing and ultrafiltering change honey's nutrients, flavor and character. The real differences between raw and processed honey, and why they matter.Fri, 07 Mar 2025 00:00:00 GMT