SC - Re: Almonds and Sundry Nuts and Seeds

Tue Mar 9 06:37:51 PST 1999

This is not necessarily true.
Honey from bay trees and rhododenrons are indeed poisonous.

To compare the biologic systems of other classes of animals to those of humans is patently unwarranted.  Some birds, which are much closer to humans, morphologically, than insects, can eat berries that are otherwise very poisonous to humans. 

To say nothing of the vast numbers of insects which are systematically toxic, or those that can eat, and be completely unharmed by virulent species of bacteria or protozoa. 

I have never heard of specifically of almond blossom honey being poisonous, but I have this rule about honey:
If I know that I can eat the flower, I can eat the honey.
If I know that it is bad to eat the flower, I do not eat the honey.
If I am unsure, I do not eat the honey.

brandu

>>> <WOLFMOMSCA at aol.com> 03/09 8:58 AM >>>
In a message dated 3/1/99 9:52:31 PM Eastern Standard Time, phelpsd at gate.net 
writes:

<< Regarding almonds, it is my understanding that honey from their blossoms is
 poisonous does anyone recall period references to this?
  >>

I don't know about period references, but I have this quote from the old bee
man who comes around with his hives to the local farmers every year.  He
rolled on the ground, laughing his butt off when we asked him about oleander
honey being poisonous.  Says he, "Darlin', if it don't kill the bee, it won't
kill me."  Bees don't gather pollen and nectar willy-nilly.  If they gather
pollen from almond trees, it won't be poisonous to humans.  It would be
interesting to hear from almond growers to see if they have bees in their
trees in the flowering time.  If not, then the bees know better than to
harvest from the trees.  If they do have bees, it's pretty much a given that
the honey won't be poisonous.  BTW, our old bee man gave us some oleander
honey.  It makes great mead.  Nobody's dead yet.  ;-)

Walk in peace,
Wolfmother
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