12 Uses for Raw Honey Plus GIVEAWAY! 2/18

***Disclosure: I received complimentary samples to facilitate my review. No other compensation was provided, and all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.***

It's no secret that honey is delicious. It's sweet, and depending on the variety, can have delightful and complex flavors. Honey is wonderful to cook with, and a little drizzle of honey over a lot of dishes (think Baklava) can make your taste buds sing. 

But did you know that Raw Honey has plenty of other uses and benefits, too? It's true! Raw honey, which hasn't been heat-processed, contains antiseptic properties and can be used in a myriad of ways. It can even be used to make you look and feel more naturally beautiful. 

Here are 12 uses for raw honey that you may not have been aware of... Until now! You're welcome! 

How cool is that?! These are just a few of the many, many uses for honey. I have personally tried all of these applications myself, and they really do work. I especially love using raw honey to help with my horrid allergies. Local raw honey, by the spoonful, helps the most to aid in allergy relief. Please note: If you ingest raw honey for health benefits, DO NOT HEAT IT. Yep...Adding raw honey to hot tea or foods is a no-no. The heat will destroy the antibiotic properties of the honey. 

When it comes to raw honey, there are plenty of varieties available, all with varying colors and flavors. Some of my absolute favorite products are from Mohawk Valley Trading Co. This company offers only the highest quality unprocessed natural products. They have Pure Maple Syrup, Maple Sugar, Honey, Raw Honey, Beeswax, Beeswax Candles, Handmade Soap and Natural Skin Care Products. 

ABout Mohawk Valley Trading Co :

The Mohawk Valley Trading Company offers the highest quality unprocessed natural products we can produce namely; Maple Syrup, Maple Sugar, Honey, Raw Honey, Beeswax, Beeswax Candles, Handmade Soap and Natural Skin Care Products.

Their warehouse is located in the city of Utica and is neither a walk-in retail store nor open to the public. They sell online only.

Our Honey Review: 

I received a wonderful assortment of raw honey from Mohawk Valley Trading Co. Included were Raw Buckwheat Honey, Raw Summer Wildflower Honey, Raw Tulip Poplar-Black Locust Honey, and even a generously sized piece of honey comb! 

If you're a bit obsessed with raw honey like I am, you know the difference between this and traditional "normal" honey found at the grocery store. Raw honey has a different flavor, consistency, and aroma than honey that has been processed. The scent alone is amazing, and makes you want to take a taste...or three. 

Raw Buckwheat Honey
The Raw Buckwheat Honey is a variety I hadn't tried before. This honey has a very complex, almost earthy quality to it. It reminds me of molasses, only much, much better. Did you know that Dr. Oz recommends 1-2 teaspoons of buckwheat honey daily during cold and flu season? It's true! 

Mohawk Valley Trading Co. offers  raw buckwheat honey has not been heated, filtered, blended or processed. All of the pollen, enzymes, propolis, vitamins, amino acids, antioxidants, minerals and aromatics are in the same condition as they were in the hive.

From about July through thru October, they strategically  place hives in buckwheat fields on both slopes and the surrounding area of the Central Mohawk Valley and Finger Lakes region of New York.

Tulip Poplar-Black Locust Honey 
From about the last week of October (after they harvest the Autumn Wildflower and Buckwheat Honey) thru April some of the hives are trucked to The Delmarva Peninsula to winter over in a milder climate and to get an earlier start in the spring than they would in Upstate NY. Tulip Poplar and Black Locust trees bloom about the same time and this honey is derived form the nectar of their blossoms. Its dark color is due to the high mineral content. Mohawk Valley Trading Co. offers raw Tulip Poplar-Black Locust honey that is unheated, unpasteurized, unfiltered, unprocessed unblended and in the same condition as it was in the hive. 

This honey was amazing...It has a nice, sweet flavor, which is slightly less pungent and earthy than the Buckwheat Honey. This variety is well-loved by all 3 of my kids for it's pleasant taste and aroma. 

Sunflower-Summer Wildflower Honey
Sunflowers are in bloom at the same time summer wildflowers are and since honey bees are free-roaming, wild insects that fly; it is impossible to control where they forage. In some areas where there are miles and miles of sunflower fields it is possible to produce honey where the dominant source of nectar is sunflower; However, that is not the case here. Hence the name Sunflower-Summer Wildflower Honey.

I would have to say, this honey was my personal favorite. It has a creamy, thick consistency and I honestly enjoy it the most right from a spoon! The kids loved this one, too, and enjoy it on toast or on a peanut butter sandwich! 

Mohawk Valley Trading Co. also carries  Summer Wildflower Comb Honey . This becomes available about Mid-July and about 90 percent of it is pre-sold since they take orders year round on a first come, first served basis.

Comb honey is sections of the hexagonal-shaped beeswax cells of the honeycomb that contain raw honey that have been cut from the wooden frames of a beehive.

It is the rawest honey available and contains all of the pollen, enzymes, propolis, vitamins, amino acids, antioxidants, minerals, and aromatics that the honey had in the hive.

Comb honey is more expensive than either raw or liquid bottled honey. Bottled honey is extracted from the beeswax comb and the comb is able to be used again. Since the comb is completely removed to produce comb honey, the bees and beekeeper must work harder to produce it. 

Prior to the invention of honey extractors, a good majority of honey consumed was comb honey and currently it is in great demand among health enthusiast, honey aficionados, gourmands, connoisseurs and chefs.


***Due to poor conditions in the hive, comb honey is not currently available***

Overall, I couldn't be any more delighted with my honey from Mohawk Valley Trading Company. These products are nothing short of amazing....They're delicious, and I love experiencing all the different flavors from different hives. Oh, and the fact that raw honey has known health benefits and even beauty uses? Even better!  So if you've ever been curious about Raw Honey, definitely check out Mohawk Valley Trading Co. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised! Oh, and their prices are very low, especially considering what raw honey usually costs at health food stores! 

How to COnnect :

You can check out the awesomeness that is Mohawk Valley Trading Co. on their website. 

Mohawk Valley Trading Co. products are carried by Denver Urban Homesteading, Healthy Living Market, The Naturalist’s Notebook, West Elm, Steven Alan Home Shop, Brooklyn Kitchen, Brooklyn Homebrew (to name a few) and are used at some of the top restaurants and hotels in the USA.

Enter to WIN :

I am thrilled to announce that one lucky reader will their the same package I received, minus the comb honey. So the winner will be receiving:

-Raw Buckwheat Honey
-Raw Tulip Poplar-Black Locust Honey
-Raw Sunflower Summer Wildflower Honey

How cool is that?!

Simply enter using the easy Rafflecopter form below!

This giveaway is open to US residents 18+ until 11:59PM February 18, 2014. No PO Boxes. Winners will be drawn using Rafflecopter's Random Number Generator. I will notify winner via e-mail and they will have 48 hours to reply before I am forced to redraw winners. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited. This contest is not affiliated with Facebook in any way

a Rafflecopter giveaway