HI all. 

 

I understand as a doctors some would have some issue with honey and the idea
of botulism possibly getting to baby.  I will ask for more references
tonight at the beekeepers meeting.  However, to answer a question the spores
should be killed and very little if any honey is left in the wax. My wax
that I get is fresh yes. And I do boil it for quite a while, you have to for
it to separate the honey, propilus, even the dead bees out of the honey and
the wax. For me it takes several days.  I actually get the fresh caps after
the honey has been harvested. So the honey is heated in a double boiler and
yes I see bubbles in the liquid itself. I wind up heating to about 200
degrees Fahrenheit two or three times. And it is strained until no honey is
left. I then pour it into molds and allow them to cool.  When I am ready to
make the salve the oil tincture is strained several times and the wax I
heated again.  To make it firm it takes about three tablespoons ( or the
size of a very small egg) to  make the salve firm.  So the wax in the
melting here is heated again to about 150 degrees. Or it burns. It makes
great candles and is used in ear candles. 

 

I have fresh local honey that I then can use for salves and even wound care.
However the only salve I use any honey in is not for nipples or infants.
Again it is heated honey.  Fresh honey contains all the helpful stuff four
adult bodies.  And I am careful to teach parents not to give honey to
infants. In NC we do have a honey standard. There are many places now
marketing honey that is so strained that no honey or beneficial stuff is not
there or it is corn syrup and honey mix. This is against the law here.  

 

Wax typically purchased has no or little honey.  Or it should have or bee
extremely hard. 

 

I will ask my sate lady here and find more information.  But I prefer wax to
petroleum jelly which is just that part petroleum, and paraffin wax that
does not breathe.  Now I have more research to do. 

Now to close the store and head to my bee meeting.  

 

Mechell Turner, M.Ed. CCH


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