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There's a slight chill but it would be nice to have a picnic amidst the fall leaves before everything turns white! Off to the park then, with Thunder Clatter in my head, my niece, and these things:

My niece got so excited and is taking along a few friends for the picnic:

Looks like we are having a berry-themed tea picnic today. I have put nice chocolatey tea in the bottle and taking along cinnamon-raisin bread from Soberdough that we made this morning. These are what childhood memories are made of! Have a nice Sunday, everyone! <3

After the filling Thanksgiving dinner, isn't it lovely to have a nice cup of tea with family and friends? The Bee Raw Honey Flight I brought was a hit. It was fun trying the four different honey-flavors with cheese and tea. It attracts friendly conversation as would when flowers bloom, the bee will come. (Ahahahaha, I just couldn't resist.) And, as how these lovely conversations usually go, they jump from how you are, to what was on NPR yesterday, move to the coolest shoes I ever saw, to what movie you are seeing next, and end with how we are going to change and save the world together. With the honey flight in front of us, we focused on the bees.

Did you know that bees are responsible for pollinating one in every three bites of food we consume? And sadly, because of pesticides, parasites and malnutrition, they are dying off!! It is a global crisis. This condition, known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD), has resulted in bee mortality rates of 33% over the last five years.

Can you imagine a world without strawberries? Almonds? Broccoli? Ahhhhhhh!

There are two reasons why we carry Bee Raw products at the shop. First, it's really, really great honey. Really. Honey as it should be. Our second reason is The Bee Raw Save the Bees Fund.

The Bee Raw Save the Bees Fund supports institutions, associations and organizations that perform underfunded, but critical, research and education focusing on bee health, biology and nutrition.They also support places and programs that help to sustain a healthy planet, including botanic gardens which create pollinator-friendly environments. Bee Raw donates 1% of profits to the Save the Bees Fund.

Let us save the bees together. Supporting Bee Raw products is a step. Then, let us take it a step further.

There are three no-fail ways to save the bees. You can-

Plant Flowers. Bees are suffering from malnutrition, and planting bee-friendly flowers gives them a place to nourish themselves and their hive.

Sign Pledge. Pesticides contribute to the alarming death rate of honeybee colonies.Sign a pledge to cultivate a pesticide-free garden.

Donate. Save the Bees Fund raises money for research to fully understand Colony Collapse Disorder.

We are thankful for the bees. Let's help keep them from disappearing. :)

Have you seen the Bee Raw Honey Flight Gift Sets in the shop? There are four tubes filled with different kinds of honey, sealed with beeswax, with a pretty wooden block stand. When I first saw it, I thought it would look really great on my coffee table. And then, I got to taste the honey. And. They. Were. All. Sooooo. Good. 

You know how you think coffee is just coffee?  And then, you taste really good coffee and then you suddenly realize that there are so many different kinds of coffee. And then, you're suddenly on a quest to find that perfect coffee that you like best - the one that speaks of who you are? Hmmm. Maybe you feel like this with wine? Or tea?

Bee Raw Honey does that to you. But with honey. I think it's because it is not just about how it tastes, but how you feel when you taste it. It could remind you of a backyard tea party with lifelong friends, or your grandmother stroking your forehead or laying down under a tree.

For me, the wildflower varietal takes me back to 12-year-old me, living with a host family far, far away, having a very long breakfast in the backyard, amidst laughter and friendship that would last a lifetime. The honey flights are like happy memories in a tube for me. Ahahaha. 

I do have both fruit and wildflower varietals on my dining table for breakfast. They look pretty and you get to have honey moods and pick which honey you would like to take for the day. They also make my smile last a little longer when I start my day. It's a nice tradition to start with your breakfast and tea folks, don't you think? :) 

We are very excited to meet you! (*uncontrollable giggle fits) 

The shop concept of The August Tree has been a long time coming. With the help of good friends and cousins, gallons of coffee, heaps of french fries and good vibes all around, we have finally set up shop!

We hope that you find The August Tree to be your friend - we are excited to share with you what we find here in New York and what we think you would like. Do let us know too, what you like. We would love to hear from you!

We like the idea that the world seems a little smaller - that a lovely berry bag from Germany with an English toy car inside,  is the perfect gift to send from New York to Manila, to a friend you haven't seen in years but you talk to everyday, as if you live next door. So, visit often okay? Let's be good friends. :)