Hello All,
Greetings from the cold midwest. Temps -5F. tonight with -40 to -60
windchills.  More snow tomorrow. Blizzard conditions 100 miles north.
I left Texas Saturday and the temperature was 62F..  Maybe the bees are
better off than the beekeeper this week.
Awhile back we had a discussion about the difference between light and dark
honey.  Because i sell honey in health food stores I found they allways want
the dark honey because *they say* its better for you.  I knew i had seen a
study but couldn't remember the book i had seen the study in. After quite a
bit of looking today I found the study and will post.

Beekeeping in the U.S. Ag. Handbook No. 335 copyright 1968 pg. 60

*Schuette* at the University of Wisconsin examined the mineral content of
490 samples of light and dark honey. They reported the following average
values:                         light honey PPM            dark honey PPM
potassium--------------------------205---------------------- 1,676---
Chlorine---------------------------52------------------------113------
Sulfur-----------------------------58------------------------100-----
Calcium----------------------------49-------------------------52------
Phosphorus-------------------------35-------------------------47------
Sodium-----------------------------18-------------------------76-----
Magnesium--------------------------19-------------------------35------
Silica-----------------------------22-------------------------36------
Iron-------------------------------2.4------------------------9.4------
Manganese--------------------------.30------------------------4.09-----
Copper-----------------------------.29-------------------------.56-----
Comment:
I don't know if dark honey is healthier but i will say according to the
study the dark honey does contain higher mineral content in all minerals
tested.  I believe the above report when shown to the general public around
1968 caused the health food stores to ask for the darker honey.  Health food
stores are quick to tell you 85% of the minerals are gone from our soils and
are not replaced by large scale farming methods.
Sincerely,
Bob Harrison
P.S. Many of you email asking to use my posts in your newsletters. Please
do. I am tired tonight as i have been on the road hauling bees but if
someone wants to post this chart on Sci ag,IBL or Florida Beekeepers for me
please do .