Honey in the Mornin', Honey in the Evenin' By Dianne Battle, Master Gardener, St. Johns County appearing in The St. Johns Sun December 2015 issue) You probably know the American folk tune in the title. In Florida, the "Land of the Flowers," there are an amazing number of honey varieties to choose from. Each has a distinctive taste depending upon which flowers the bees visit. Almost every farm I stopped at during November's Tour de Farm featured a beekeeper selling local honey. I bought several kinds from rich and sweet Tupelo to dark Everglades. Here is a recipe for Irish oatmeal cookies, using Irish steelcut oats and a robust-flavored honey. Irish oatmeal is the basis for the famous British porridge. It is has a granular, nutty consistency. The dark honey used to sweeten it appeals to both adults and children. Since this is the season for cookie-making, why not try this kid-friendly Honey from the Land of the Flowers recipe as a fun and nutritious adventure that can also give children an appreciation for bees and other pollinators. More on that after the recipe. Irish Oatmeal Cookies         

1 1/4 cup brown or white sugar 1/2 cup shortening or butter 2 eggs 1/3 cup dark honey (or light honey, if you prefer) 1 3/4 cups flour* 1 tsp salt 1 tsp baking soda 2 cups steel-cut oatmeal** 1 cup raisins or cranberries

*If using whole wheat flour substitute 3/4 cup whole wheat for every cup of white flour. **Steel-cut oats have a granular texture and nutty flavor. The quick-cooking steel-cut variety has a softer texture. Traditional rolled oats are very soft, and since they absorb more liquid you may need to add some water to the recipe if you substitute them for steel-cut. Preheat the oven to 375°F Soak fruit in warm water while you blend the remaining dry ingredients. Cream butter and sugar; add beaten eggs and honey. Stir in the dry ingredients and add drained raisins. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes. Drop spoonfuls of batter on a greased or non-stick cookie sheet. Steel-cut oatmeal cookies will spread; traditional oatmeal cookies will only flatten slightly. Cook for 8-10 minutes. Place on a cooling rack. For soft cookies, put them in an enclosed container when cool.

Honey purchased at farmer's markets and Tour de Farm is not produced by commercially certified food kitchens so you should only buy it from sources and venues you know to be reputable.. Whether you buy local or supermarket honey keep in mind that most of it is sold "raw" (uncooked). Raw honey is a natural source of minerals such as calcium, iron and potassium as well as vitamin B. However, raw honey can contain spores that might cause botulism in children under 12 months and in persons with compromised immune systems. These populations and nursing or expecting mothers should not consume uncooked honey. Proper cooking or baking kills the spores but also reduces honey's vitamin value. Cooked honey is still a valuable source of complex carbohydrates. This cookie has a message: Save Our Pollinators. Bees and other pollinating insects need plants to nourish themselves. Go to the National Garden Clubs website, www.gardenclub.org, and search for "plants for pollinators" to get ideas for creating pollinator habitat in your yard, or on a patio or balcony.

Carpenter Bee on Bee Balm

Local beekeepers like Master Gardeners Joan Kramer and Gayle Prevatt employ European honey bees to make honey. Honey bees and native bees also pollinate much of the food you eat. Bee Colony Collapse is a very real problem for European honey bee colonies. Pesticides derived from neonicotinoids are implicated in this affliction. However, European bees are not the only species troubled by pesticides. Try to eliminate or reduce pesticide use in your yard. Join other consumers in asking suppliers to refrain from selling neonicotinoid-based pesticides. Some companies are listening.

Contact the St. Johns County Extension Master Gardener Help Desk at (904) 209-0430 between 9AM and noon weekdays for pollinator-friendly gardening ideas..Sign up for the spring Tour de Farm at www.slowfoodfirstcoast.org. If you are looking for other ways to cook with seasonal and local produce, visit our Garden Club of Switzerland's website, www.switzerlandgc.org, and click on the News link for Fresh and Local Recipes.

Honey Bee on Chickasaw Plum Tree