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- Copyright © 2024 St. Michael's Farms
At St. Michael's Farms, we are a bee and berry farm
that produces and sells local raw honey and infused raw honey!
Honey FAQ's
In general, infused honey and flavored honey can mean the same thing. However, some may separate these two terms in which infused honey would still contain adjunct ingredients inside of it, while flavored honey is usually by adding ‘Flavor’ drops, and according to the USDA that can mean Chemical Drops!. Either way, the same process before this step is used – adjunct ingredients, such as flowers, herbs, and spices are added to natural raw honey over a period of time to add flavor and aroma. But St. Michael’s goes the extra mile and soaks Natural Farm grown herbs and spices for weeks upon weeks to impart the right flavor profile just for you!
If you’re looking to try new honey flavors, definitely check out the local honey infusions from St. Michael’s Farms. Here are our current infused and flavored honey options, that are sourced both locally and globally for a unique flavor experience:
- Lavender Honey – grown right here at St. Michaels Farm, lavender adds a pleasant, flowery aroma, and has a sweet taste.
- Coffee Honey – St Michael’s uses a proprietary process that Slowly infused the Raw Honey with local roasted Expresso beans, This takes Honey to a New Level.
- Balsamic Honey – just like honey itself, Balsamic adds a very slight vinegar flavor that’s wonderful on bread and salads as well as Cheeses..
- Chili Honey – a honey infusion that starts out sweet and kicks with a little heat in the end.
- Chai Honey – one of our global flavors that comes directly from Egypt, chai-infused honey has a rich, sweet aroma and tastes like no other.
- Elderberry Honey — Grown right here on our farm, rich in antioxidants, tastes good and good for you.
- Fermented Garlic — Also grown on the farm German Red hard neck garlic infused right here! Yummy to cook with!
Since it is a natural, soothing, and hydrating product, honey is often used in a variety of beauty regimens from head to toe.
There are a few ways to use honey on your face – try it as a face mask, acne spot treatment, gentle exfoliant, and more. A full-face mask that uses honey is a great way to leave your entire face soft and radiant. Additionally, just adding a bit of honey to targeted acne areas is a great way to reduce inflammation and the swelling of pimples. Honey also makes for a great face scrub, as the small, non-abrasive granules in true honey break down when they come in contact with water.
Aside from skin treatment, honey is also a common ingredient found in lip balms. Thanks to its hydrating effects and natural enzymes, it’s a great way to moisturize lips with the help of organic products. Additionally, if you have dry hair, honey makes for a great moisturizing mask. Try adding some natural honey to your hair before or in the shower, let it sit, and then rinse it out thoroughly to reveal shiny hair like never before.
On the face and other parts of the body, honey is also great for helping to fade scars, thanks to its antioxidant properties. Speaking of the body, why not go for a honey soak in the bath? Just add some local honey to your bath and stir with your hand for an ultra-hydrating soak that will leave your skin silky soft.
At St. Michaels Farms, we love the bees and the bees love us – because we know just how important honey bees are for our planet. If you’re not sure exactly how important bees are, we’d love to welcome you to read below and to also come and visit our farm in Fort Collins sometime! Here are just a few facts from the non-profit, The Bee Conservancy, about how honey bees are integral to our planet’s existence.
- 1 in 3 bites of food are pollinated by bees – they pollinate fruits, nuts, and veggies, aside from producing honey
- 1 in 4 species of bees are at risk of extinction – without bees, our nation’s food security would be at risk
What can you do to help? The best way to stop the extinction of honey bees is to support your local honey farmers and bee conservation efforts. If you need honey, buy local to help back real farmers who put in real effort to save bees and provide real, natural honey. And, if you find a hive of bees or another form of a bee colony in your home or public place where they shouldn’t be (e.g. playgrounds), please contact a bee conservation group to have them rehomed, never an exterminator!
Elderberry FAQ's
Elderberry is one of the most commonly used medicinal plants in the world.
Traditionally, Indigenous people used it to treat fever and rheumatism, while the ancient Egyptians used it to improve their complexions and heal burns.
Today, elderberry is most often taken as a supplement to treat cold and flu symptoms.
Elderberries are a low calorie food packed with antioxidants.
One cup (145 grams) of fresh berries contain 106 calories, 26.7 grams of carbs, and less than 1 gram each of fat and protein (3Trusted Source).
Plus, they have many nutritional benefits. Elderberries are:
• High in vitamin C. There are 52 mg of vitamin C per cup of fruit, which accounts for 57% of the daily value.
• High in dietary fiber. Elderberries contain 10 grams of fiber per cup of fresh berries, about 36% of the daily value.
• A good source of phenolic acids. These compounds are potent antioxidants that can help reduce damage from oxidative stress in the body.
• A good source of flavanols. Elderberry contains the antioxidant flavanols quercetin, kaempferol, and isorhamnetin. The flowers contain up to 10 times more flavanols than the berries.
• Rich in anthocyanins. These compounds give the fruit its characteristic dark black-purple color and are a strong antioxidant with anti-inflammatory effects.
• Black elderberry extracts and flower infusions have been shown to help reduce the severity and length of influenza.
• Commercial preparations of elderberry for the treatment of colds come in various forms, including liquids, capsules, lozenges, and gummies.
• One 2004 study of 60 people with influenza found that those who took 15 mL of elderberry syrup four times per day showed symptom improvement in 2 to 4 days, while the control group took 7 to 8 days to improve.
• Furthermore, a study of 312 air travelers taking capsules containing 300 mg of elderberry extract three times per day found that those who got sick experienced a shorter duration of illness and less severe symptoms.
• During normal metabolism, reactive molecules may be released that can accumulate in the body. This can cause oxidative stress and may lead to diseases like type 2 diabetes and cancer.
• Antioxidants are natural components of foods, including some vitamins, phenolic acids, and flavonoids, that are able to help remove these reactive molecules. Research suggests that diets high in antioxidants may help prevent chronic
• The flowers, fruits, and leaves of the elderberry plant are excellent sources of antioxidants. For example, one of the anthocyanins found in the berries has 3.5 times the antioxidant power of vitamin E.
• One study comparing 15 different varieties of berries and another study comparing types of wine found that elderberry is one of the most effective antioxidants.
• Additionally, one study found that antioxidant status improved in people 1 hour after drinking 400 mL of elderberry juice. Another study in rats found that elderberry extract helped reduce inflammation and oxidative tissue damage.
• Elderberry may have positive effects on some markers of heart and blood vessel health.
• Studies have shown elderberry juice may reduce the level of fat in the blood and decrease cholesterol. In addition, a diet high in flavonoids like anthocyanins has been found to reduce the risk of heart disease.
• Nonetheless, one study in 34 people given 400 mg of elderberry extract (equivalent to 4 mL of juice) three times a day for 2 weeks found no significant reduction in cholesterol levels.
• However, another study in mice with high cholesterol found that a diet including black elderberry reduced the amount of cholesterol in the liver and aorta but not the blood. Further studies found that rats that were fed foods containing polyphenols extracted from elderberry had reductions in blood pressure.
• Furthermore, elderberries may reduce levels of uric acid in the blood. Elevated uric acid is linked to increased blood pressure and negative effects on heart health.
• What’s more, elderberry can increase insulin secretion and improve blood sugar levels. Given that type 2 diabetes is a major risk factor for heart and vascular disease, blood sugar management is important in preventing these conditions.
There are many other reported benefits of elderberry, though most of these have limited scientific evidence:
• Helps fight cancer. Both European and American elder have been found to have some cancer-inhibiting properties in test-tube studies.
• Fights harmful bacteria. Elderberry has been found to inhibit the growth of bacteria like Helicobacter pylori and may improve symptoms of sinusitis and bronchitis.
• May support the immune system. In rats, elderberry polyphenols were found to support immune defense by increasing the number of white blood cells.
• Could protect against UV radiation. A skin product containing elderberry extract was found to have a sun protection factor (SPF) of 9.88.
• May increase urination. Elderberry flowers were found to increase the frequency of urination and amount of salt excretion in rats.
• May have some antidepressant properties. One study found mice fed 544 mg of elderberry extract per pound (1,200 mg per kg) had improved performance and mood markers.
Shop our Selection of Local Honey & Elderberry Products
If you’re looking for delicious, local honey, look no further. At St. Michaels Farms, we offer natural, raw honey and honey infusions online and in-person from our farm in Northern Colorado. Shop our selection of honey today! as well as Elderberry products