Extraordinary Health Magazine Extraordinary Health Vol 27 | Page 44

The Hunolts
Part 3

Winter on the Homestead

by Jason and Branwen Hunolt
ere we are, at the waning of our
first winter on the Hunolt family
homestead. Most people might think
that the winter months bring to a
close the work necessary to maintain
food production, but that couldn’t be
further from the truth. In fact, people
unfamiliar with the production of food
and medicinal herbs might not realize
“harvest” is a year-round occurrence,
especially if you have a hothouse.
There is certainly more activity in the
spring, summer and fall, but winter is
not lifeless.
Winter is especially a time to make ideas, plan and research
before all of the spring activity. We have spent a great deal
of time building a large cold frame (which allowed us to
overwinter kale), planning and scheming, purchasing plants,
doing maintenance and even taking classes on beekeeping!
We value the prospect of beekeeping not only to help preserve
and, hopefully, multiply bee populations, but also for the
wondrous things bees make: honey, royal jelly, bee pollen,
propolis and wax.

Honey is a very well-known food—used for everything from
sandwiches to desserts, even making alcohol preparations
such as mead. But many people are unfamiliar with one
of honey’s foremost applications: a topical medicine for
wounds. The Egyptians and many folk herbalists today use
honey for its anaerobic property which, when applied to
an open wound, doesn’t allow for infection to take place
as it cannot manifest without oxygen. In fact, this is only one
facet of its antimicrobial function.
As for the other hive products, royal jelly is a substance
created solely to rear a queen and is attributed for her great
size. Bee pollen is often valued as an aid for supporting
allergies, energy and