Do Bees hibernate in the Winter?  Nope.  Watch this video from last week to see Keith taking care of a few of our bees.  They're pretty active, especially in the weather that we've been experiencing lately.  Anytime the temperature climbs above 55, they come out, hungry.  

We all know that our bees are struggling.  So many people have asked, "So, what's really up with the bees?" A hugely debated topic.  But, one thing everyone agrees on - there are fewer bees and they are weakened.  Things that 10-15 years ago wouldn't have been as serious of a problem, now can quickly wipe out a whole hive.  Mites, beetles or even lack of food.

Keith spends a lot of time with these girls.  In the winter, it's mostly feeding them when they're running low.  I don't know if it's just me, but they seem to be thankful.  :-)

What is better than a flavor-bursting cheesecake that is so creamy and smooth?  A flavor-bursting cheesecake that is healthy for you, with no processed sugar and no baking required!

This past weekend, we sampled our Hemp Honey, Crigger Farm creamed honey with ground hemp hearts at two Rainbow Blossom store locations, Louisville, KY and New Albany, IN.  What an amazing event.  The Hemp Honey was a hit, as well as the cheese cake that we sampled, made with the Hemp Honey.  As promised to so many of you, here's the recipe!

​CRUST:

3/4 cup walnuts
1/4 cup hemp hearts
1 cup pitted medjool dates

In a food processor, process the walnuts and hemp hearts until it looks like meal.   Add the dates.  Process until the mixture comes together.  Press firmly into your springform pan, or a 9 inch square baking dish. 

CHEESECAKE:

3/4 cup soaked cashews (start these the night before, add water and just let them sit.)
3/4 cup coconut milk (get as much of the cream on top as possible!)
Juice of 1 lime
3/4 cup of Crigger Farm Hemp Honey
2 Tlbs. matcha

Optional:  8 oz room temperature cream cheese, omit this if wanting to go dairy free.

Blend all ingredients in a blender on Puree until very smooth.  Pour on top of crust. Cover. Freeze for at least 3 hours.  It doesn't freeze solid, so you can eat it as soon as you take it out! 

And, it just happens to be Gluten-free too.  :-)

What are some of the things that you can do with Crigger Farm Fluff?
The list keeps growing...  
1.  Eat it on a spoon. (#1 answer)
2.  Dip apples.
3.  Top a banana.
4.  Spread on graham crackers with chocolate
     for quick indoor S'mores.
5.  Spread over pancakes.
6.  Use on toast.  It gets warms and gooey!
7.  Stir into your favorite yogurt or oatmeal.
8.  Drop over ice cream.
Crigger Farm Faovorite:  Spread on one piece of bread.  Then spread a mashed banana on another slice for a "Fluffer Nanner" sandwich... But then, oh my goodness, grill that puppy like a toasted cheese sandwich.  Tell me if your eyes don't roll back in your head!

What's your favorite way to eat Crigger Farm Fluff???

Doesn't this look amazing???  
It was so simple really.  All the flavors blended so well together for such a tasty and satisfying lunch salad.  The arugula, slightly peppery, matched with the spicy brown mustard, then both slightly balanced with the sweet apple and fresh mozzarella.  Very fresh, and oh so GOOD for you!

INGREDIENTS:
Fresh mix of greens, with arugula
Medium dice of granny smith apple
Fresh Mozzarella cheese, sliced and torn into bite-sized pieces

DRESSING: (enough for 2 salads)
3/4 cup Crigger Farm Pecan Creamed Honey
3/4 cup Spicy Brown Mustard
Good drizzle of your favorite EVOO

METHOD:
Tear your greens into your favorite size.  Layer on the diced apple and mozzarella cheese.  In a small bowl, mix the pecan creamed honey with the EVOO.  Whisk in the mustard.  Season with salt and pepper.  Pour on your salad.  Try not to lick out the bowl!  Enjoy.

Years ago you could find honey with the comb just about anywhere you found honey. And, people thoroughly enjoyed carving out a chunk of the comb, plopping it in their mouth to feel the pop of the honey comb cells and then the ooze of the sweet honey.  Then chewing on the comb like a natural chewing gum, until the honey taste was completely gone.  But it seems like bee farmers don't have any honeycomb today.  What's up with that?

​To be honest it's right where it always has been. In the hive. Farmers today, especially because of the decline in bees, are not taking the honeycomb out of the frame when they harvest the honey. If they were to take the honeycomb out, the bees would have to remake all that honeycomb. So, the farmers extract the honey with extractors that spin the honey out of the comb, and leave the comb intact in the frame. Then they take that frame and put it back into the hives.  So, all the bees have to do, is fill it back up!  Happy bees.

Ever want to make that wonderful raspberry dressing you've had in restaurants?
Now you can and do one better! All local products and healthy!
​
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 c. Crigger Farm Honey (use a spring or summer variety)
1/2 c. Raspberry Balsamic Vinegar

We like to use the new Kentucky Olive White Raspberry Vinegar from The Friendly Market!  Whisk together and drizzle!  You will be amazed.

Did you know that Crigger Farm recycles?  My grandma would be so proud!

​Boxes are reused to transport our jars to get filled, then again to ship. We reuse our jars. We wash and sanitize and re-inspect every jar and lid. Just ask Kayla. She's our chief inspector! We even reuse every scrap of packing material that we receive. We've got lots of large (reused!) boxes of all sorts of material!

Just bring back any of our cleaned jars to wherever you see us, at a market or at The Friendly Market.
​We're playing our part in sustainability!

​In a recent news interview on Channel 9 news, Tristan Crigger discusses his launch of multiple farm stands in Cincinnati, with produce from local farmers, including Crigger Farm!  Check out this clip - watch for the Crigger Farm honey and our famous Peanut Butter and Honey Fluff!

News Clip from Channel 9
​