The Biggest Little Honey Shop
A Sweet Surprise
After falling in love with honeybees, they started appearing everywhere. To my sweet surprise, the same thing started happening with honey! Whether I’m perusing a grocery store I’ve never been to before and discover a new nectar, or driving down the road and pass by a small honey stand with fresh comb for sale… these moments tend to happen all the time for me. Last Saturday was no exception.
A Purrfect place to rep CBD oil!
The weather was perfect for a drive over an hour south from where I live in Colorado, to a town outside Colorado Springs, called Old Colorado City. It was as historic and quaint as it sounds, and I was stoked to stretch my legs and see more of this beautiful state.
The mission at hand was an in-store live pop-up as the brand ambassador for NuLeaf Naturals CBD oil at a pet store called Republic of Paws. The store was right on the downtown strip of shops, next to art galleries, freshly made toffee and coffee, and Colorado souvenirs. The store was pet-friendly, so my day was full of happy puppy moments while I talked with people about CBD.
How many honeys do you see?
When I arrived, I had parked around the corner and as I walked down the street to the pet store, I practically tripped over the town’s very own Honey Shop! The Honey Cottage is its actual name, and it was darling. And sure enough, they were selling CBD too!
I popped in briefly and in awe. It had honey from around the world and wonderful educational displays about honeybees. What a sweet treat to find on my adventure. However, I still had a few hours of work before I could fully indulge, so after a quick introduction to the owner and an inquiry about their closing time (which thankfully would be after my pop-up), I made a plan to come back later in the day.
CBD and Honey = Happy!
I had a great time at the pet shop and felt so good sharing plant medicine with pets and people. I even had some converts! A couple older women who were adamantly opposed to “drugs” (yet, I’m sure their medicine cabinets are full of prescription pills), who I was able to share some information and insights into the use of CBD. Despite their resistance, not too many people say no to a free bottle. The proof is in the pudding, and they were grateful for the gift. I’m sure I gained a few more educated CBD users that day.
Even though I had fun with some furry friends, I was buzzing to get back out in the sun and back to the honey shop. Once I packed up my gear, I beelined my way back to the sweetness. Now, I could take my time and really enjoy at all the different elements in the store.
It was just a 20 foot aisle, with two walls layered with shelves of jars, candles, and honeybee themed things. I couldn’t believe that they had honey mints from an apiary in Wisconsin that has a Honey Museum my mom and I visited a couple years ago. They also had a delicious Macadamia nut honey from Hawai’i that I used to buy all the time when I lived there. It was a little out of my price range that day, but so nostalgic to see it again.
Wish I had gotten more!
At the back was the checkout counter, and where the owner, a woman named Crystal, kept the open jars of honey for tasting! Y’all know I was all about that! I chose a honey variety I had never heard of before called “Rabbit Brush” from the western slope of the Rockies. Rabbit Brush, also called Chamiso, apparently refers to a variety of related shrubs in the western states (flowering from August - October, producing a fall honey harvest). It was sweet like a ripe cantaloupe with hazelnut, vanilla, and a woodsy aftertaste. I was sold. One can never have too many honeys.
Native Americans often used the flowers of the Chamiso to make tea for curing various illnesses including dizziness and lack of focus. The healing properties of the Chamiso brush can be felt in its honey. According to legend the nectar (and therefore the honey) from Chamiso is said to help one maintain focus on details while still seeing the larger picture of the project at hand. (http://www.grampashoney.com/chamiso-rabbit-brush-honey/)
Support Local
The Honey Cottage has been open since 2001. Almost 20 years, and truly a testament of humans love for honey. I shared my business card and website with Crystal and told her about my inspiration Eva Crane, and her world travels to learn about honeybees everywhere. I explained how I am on a similar mission, and each day I get closer to achieving my full Honey Huntress vision. It is always so awesome connecting with other honeybee advocates! I will definitely be visiting there again.
Making friends in all the sweet places.
I headed back to Denver feeling so fulfilled from my adventure. Whenever I can talk about honey and cannabis in the same day, I am living my dream. Two amazing medicines, provided by nature. I am so grateful I get to represent them. May I continue to help others with what I can share.
Please always make an effort to support your local beekeeper and honey shops like these.
Thank you for reading.