Bee decline linked to falling biodiversity
BBC News
The decline of honeybees seen in many countries may be caused by reduced plant diversity, research suggests.
Bees fed pollen from a range of plants showed signs of having a healthier immune system than those eating pollen from a single type, scientists found.
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Tigray beekeepers profiled in the NY Times
Beekeeping in Koraro - Nicholas D. Kristof Blog
On a steep hillside overlooking a dusty creekbed, several dozen bright yellow boxes stand on wooden legs, conspicuously out of place against the red and brown soils that dominate the Koraro region. The telltale smell of honey, a welcome change from the manure-littered scrublands used for cattle grazing, gives it away: beehives.
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Wukro White Honey Presidium
Slow Food Foundation for Biodiversity
Slow Food Presidia are local projects that work to improve the infrastructure of artisan food production. The goal of the Presidia is to guarantee a viable future for traditional foods by stabilizing production techniques, establishing stringent production standards, and promoting local consumption.
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Wukro White Honey
| ORIGIN
The white honeys of Ethiopia's Tigray province are prized throughout the country for their creamy texture, bold, almost explosive flavor, and deceptively mild aroma. A visit to the area reveals the reason: at 6000 feet, beset with craggy cliffs and ragged valleys, the region is unparalleled in biodiversity and boasts a dazzling melange of endemic flowering plants with thousands of species yet to be identified! |
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FLAVOR
The honey is as heterogeneous as any you'll find, reflecting its wildflower origin, but this batch reveals hints of sage, maple, and pear flavor, plus the subtlest touch of rose water and vanilla. Rich, hearty, and less sweet than most honeys, Wukro white honey makes a perfect companion to buttered bread, tea, grits, french toast, or straight by the spoonful. It ferments to an unstoppable mead (tej).
PURITY
We did not heat or filter this honey. It is not certified organic, as the unique qualities of Ma'ar's Wukro honey are attributable to the free, unimpeded flight of the bees. Therefore, it is virtually impossible for us to test every flower upon which they feed (see the Seattle Post-Intelligencer report "Don't Let Claims on honey labels dupe you"). We can assure you, however, that chemical pesticides and fertilizers are practically unknown in this region.
Wukro honey is particularly sought after by locals for it's healing properties; it is used it as a treatment for respiratory and sexual ailments.
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