05/31/2026
Beekeeper Shares Marvels With Master Gardeners
By Cynthia Hight
The Henderson County Master Gardener Association held its monthly meeting on May 20, and invited Janelle Cole, owner/operator of Milk & Honey Meadows in Malakoff, to present an overview of managing honeybee hives. Having once been a certified Master Gardener herself, Cole greeted many of the members with hugs and by their first names. She moved into a niche passion of raising honeybees and goats to produce honey, soaps, candles, and more.
As a beekeeping consultant and instructor, some members of the Association heard for the first time the numerous health benefits obtained from honeybees. Two unexpected products were propolis and bee venom. Two more, honey and bees’ wax, she explained, are used as a topical application to heal sores, or eaten to build the immune system, as well as other uses.
Propolis is a resin-like substance of tree sap, wax, and saliva that the bee makes to seal gaps in the hive. It contains over 300 different compounds. For commercial sales, it is processed and formed into a tincture. It is an effective mouth rinse, fighting gingivitis, plaque, and mouth sores.
Bee venom is used in apitherapy to treat arthritis, Lyme disease, and swelling. She was quick to say she does not have a medical license, but was sharing what the medical community offers to the public.
Cole explained the different categories of bees within a hive and their unique behaviors. For example, in response to a question about African killer bees, members learned that the queen seeks to mate with bees not residing in the hive colony. That explains how more aggressive strains of honeybees might have spread throughout south Texas, by cross-breeding with native bees. Hives, in places like Corpus Christi, are extremely aggressive and their handlers must take extra precautions to prevent being stung.
Cole defined descriptors on honey labels, such as “local”, “raw”, and “unpasteurized”. “Look around where you live,” she said. “Know your beekeepers,” she further advised. “Fifty miles west of us looks very different from 50 miles to the east.” She added, “Notice the type of plants around you, and if the bees are getting pollen from the types of plants you are allergic to, then you’re more likely to build immunity by eating a teaspoon of honey a day from bees working those plants.”
Questions were asked by the Master Gardeners, including, “How does one get started?” Her response was to seek a local bee club, like ones available in Kaufman County, Canton, Whitehouse, and more. Usually members of an area bee club can advise their members where to go to purchase hives in the spring, many having members who are selling hives.
Henderson County Master Gardener Association is comprised of trained volunteers to distribute information to the community. Explore the multiple resources at its website https://txmg.org/hendersonmg/, or if you have questions then email [email protected] or call the Henderson County Extension office at 903-675-6130. Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HCmastergardener.
PHOTO CUTLINE:
Janelle Cole, outfitted to collect honey from a hive, is owner/operator of Milk & Honey Meadows. She presented an overview of honeybee hives to Henderson County Master Gardeners. She suggested that to best improve one’s immune system, eat raw honey that is collected from bees in a habitat similar to the plants growing where one lives. The presentation felt less like a lecture, and more like a good friend sharing how to improve one’s quality of life. The Master Gardeners who attended earned one Continuing Education Unit towards the 10 each needs to remain certified.
Courtesy photo by Janelle Cole
