Local Flavors Sure Can Bee Sweet In Great Neck

Beekeeper opens shop for regional honey, gifts

‘‘And when I was doing research on how to raise chickens, I stumbled upon a petition that said, please help us legalize beekeeping in New York City… I thought, hey, you know, that’s a good cause, so I signed it. The first and only petition I ever signed online.” Harrigan says.

The earliest evidence of human beings making use of honey is a painting of a woman gathering honey from a wild hive. This painting is found on a cave wall in Spain and is estimated to be between seven thousand and 15,000 years old. Ancient Egyptians routinely used honey and bees, and hives have been found depicted in their hieroglyphics. People throughout the ancient world used honey for medicinal purposes. Hippocrates used honey-based cures for a multitude of ailments, and Persian physician Al-Razi advised using honey and vinegar as a remedy for skin conditions and gum disease. Honey is still used for dressing wounds and treating coughs and sore throats.

After signing the petition, Harrigan’s curiosity led to a beekeeping course in Manhattan. “I went and took a crash course in beekeeping and I immediately fell in love. When the course ended in March 2010 beekeeping became legal at the same time, it was great, the timing was perfect. We started with two hives in the neighborhood.”

The hives produced a small amount of honey, but the joy Harrigan got from them more than made up for the effort. All was well, until she was laid off from her Wall Street career in finance after more than 20 years. At the same time, her see HONEYGRAMZ on page 4C

Westbury Arts is marking Black History Month with a unique photographic exhibit paying homage to Black leaders.