The Case for Becoming a Honey Hoarder

The world economy is changing. As much as the old guard tries to ensure the viability and future of fossil fuels, across the world we're seeing a drastic shifts toward renewable energies.

Bitcoin and other CryptoCurrency is shifting the balance of money too. The future is uncertain, but it seems likely that some brand of CryptoCurrency will be here to stay. So with these economic changes, along with societal ones, it's worth examining the future of markets, as well as potentially drastic changes that will affect things we seldom think about. What will be tomorrow’s pot of gold?

Honey has been a consumer mainstay in human civilisation for a long time. Evidence of honey’s symbiotic relationship with humans dates back to at least 8,000 years ago, which is evidenced in Valencia Spain, where there’s an 8,000 year old cave painting that depicts a honey hunter reaching for an elusive hive. Ancient Egyptians, too, used it for embalming purposes among other things.  

For most of Western History, honey was the primary sweetener for common folk.  Cane sugar was expensive and unavailable until the 19th century, and so people relied on honey to sweeten their tea, cakes, and candies.

Today, it is an important ingredient for our barbecues and some believe it has curative properties. With honey being such a fundamental cornerstone of our global society, it’s almost unthinkable that it will ever go away. Here's the thing though, the bees are dying.

Bees make honey.

There’s been plenty of press about the pending extinction of bees and the the disaster it would cause to the environment. Scientists still haven't figured out the exact issue at hand, but it's likely a combination of factors including pesticides, malnutrition, or even just shitty queens. There have even been attempts at building robotic bees that will do the current job of our winged friends, but even though they may be the solution for pollination, it's unlikely that they will be able to produce any honey.

We have largely taken honey for granted, and it's easy to see why. Like many people, I spent most of my life squeezing it out of a bear shaped bottle, but quality honey can go so much deeper than that.

There are hundreds of varieties of honey, and I recently bought a bottle of some local stuff in Ottawa. The man selling to me was the beekeeper, and boy did he love talking about honey.

He mentioned that his bee yard was situated near an abandoned apple orchard, and dagnabbit, I could taste subtle floral and apple notes.

Honey, similar to things like scotch, caviar, and wine, can be about deep and subtle flavors that require thought and examination. It also cannot be quickly replicated by humans, chemicals, or machines.

Here's another thing: honey doesn't go bad. It is known to be one of the only non-perishable food products. This was discovered when archeologists found jars of honey in Egyptian tombs, and the honey was perfectly safe to eat.

So a long lasting commodity with subtle tasting notes that depends of location and seasons. To put it bluntly, rich people love that shit.

Look, I’m not saying you should go out and stock up on Billy Bee’s, but next time you head to a local market you should keep your eye out for the honey table. Talk to them, ask about their honey and what kinds of flowers the bees get into. Pick up a jar, or two, or a case. More than likely, you’ll be supporting a local business that’s actively helping the environment, and you could also be contributing to your retirement! And that’s a bee-autiful thing.