Pooh Bear Flashes Thumbs-Up To Lefferts

Pooh Scores Roof-Top Honey 9.83 In 100-Acre Woods Condiment Olympics

While more trend-conscious neighborhoods may boast Beer Gardens, Lefferts has its very own Bee Garden. The Q got a note and the above flyer and is promised a jar of the stuff, so I'm more than happy to promote this locally-made goodness. 100 pounds of bee pollen!! Man oh man that's a lot of gooey goodness. From Liz, your neighborhood apiarist:

I'm a local beekeeper and we are harvesting our honey.   If it's a slow day at the Q in terms of ink, maybe the nabe could use some good news about a very local product.  Not a sign of the End Times (gastro pub) or controversial in any way, though perhaps some may see 100s of 1000s of stinging insects atop a roof a sign of the End Times.

First things first:  it's legal in NYC and my 3 hives on Midwood Street are registered with the city.  My neighbors are very cool about it because I GIVE THEM honey.  

The pollen and nectar flow was huge this year and today we harvested nearly 100 pounds.  Just a month ago, we harvested 50 pounds and sold out - mostly to Tip of the Tongue and Gratitude.  Last year, I sold it to Blue Apron in Park Slope but this year I've decided to only sell it in our neighborhood.  Want to keep it local - because this where the bees get their nectar for this delicious honey.  It's for sale at Tip of the Tongue and Gratitude Cafe.

Honeybees will forage up to 3 miles but tend to stay within 1 mile of their hives.  The huge Linden tree bloom we had throughout May and June - the source of the sticky, delicious smelling nectar covering most of the cars in the nabe - contributed greatly to this past harvest.   Lindens, aka Basswood make especially beautiful honey - light colored, very floral and delicious.  There is also a gorgeous mint taste - from the lavenders (yes, a mint) and other mints like hyssop and the regular peppermints and spearmints most folks grow in their yards. Lovely.

There is some "internets" talk about local honey helping with seasonal allergies as a homeopathic remedy.  Problem with homeopathic treatment is that you're supposed to use the honey in amounts that stimulate the immune system and then cut out the homeopathic "trigger" -- but we have a hard time cutting out the honey eating part of the prescription.   Our honey is lightly filtered and thus, loaded with pure, local pollen.  We don't use any chemicals on our bees.  Our honey is the opposite of what The Associated is selling which is mostly corn syrup and food coloring.  No pollen in it and pure junk.

I've been keeping these bees for 4 years.  They are gentle, easy to handle.  My sons, ages 8 and 10 are really good beekeepers too.