Local Honey Sources - The honey sold by our association members listed below is raw honey.  Raw honey is not heated to high temperature(pasteurized) nor filtered to keep it golden clear syrup look.  Honey is not a dairy product and doesn't require pasteurization for human consumption.  The process of heating and filtering wipes out all the benefits of honey but might make it look good on the shelf.  Margaux J. Rathbun, a Certified Nutritional Therapy practitioner, explained why raw honey is so great for our bodies:

Just like most foods that are processed or pasteurized, liquid honey loses a lot of its beneficial nutrients when it undergoes a heating process. Raw honey is loaded with nutrients like energizing B vitamins and immune-boosting vitamin C. It contains antibacterial and antioxidant properties, helping fight off free radicals in your body and keeping your immune system strong.

As beekeepers we hear from people all the time about the benefits of eating local honey as a way to combat allergies, too. Holistic nutritionist Andrea Palen commented:

The idea behind eating honey as a remedy for allergies is kind of like gradually vaccinating the body against pollen allergens, a process called immunotherapy. Honey contains a variety of the same spores that give allergy sufferers so much trouble when the seasons change. Introducing these spores into the body in small amounts by eating honey might make the body more accustomed to their presence and decrease the chance of an allergic immune response.