Now that Spring is here the bees are out to make some honey.

Honey is believed to offer many medicinal benefits due to its antiseptic cleansing properties as well as satisfying your sweet tooth. It makes a great addition to your tea, toast, yogurt and to many other foods. Learn more about the properties of honey at www.benefits-of-honey.com/

Support local beekeeping to fight the efforts of Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD).
Learn more about CCD at USDA.gov

Visit TheBeesNeeds.org for more information on how to get involved.

Common honey product such as Honey Sticks (sometimes spelled Honey Stix) make it easy to enjoy honey anywhere you go. Here is a simple DIY Honey Sticks project.

Before you can begin, you will need a couple supplies.

- Handful of straws (any straight or bendy straw will do)
- Jar of honey
- 1 Lighter or heat sealer
- 1 Syringe (make sure the tip will fit into the straw)
- Pair of scissors
- Paper towels or cloth (it's going to get messy :])

Step 1: Trim Bendy Straws

Note : If you have straight straws, please move onto step 2.

For this project I was not able to find straight straws, but bendy straws do just fine.

If you have bendy straws, it's a best to first trim off the bendy part a.k.a. the fun part. Use you scissors to separate the straight end from the bendy end. Just like I have.

If you wish for shorter straws, simply cut them to the desired length. I've cut my straws in half.

I would hate to throw away the rest of the straws. It would be great to get suggestions on what to do with these straws.

Step 2: Honey Time

Before we begin, it's a good idea to clean and rinse the straws and the syringe under water.
Once that is done, it's time to inject the honey!

Use your clean syringe to extract the honey. (For this project I used organic honey)
Be sure not to extract honey too close to the top or else you'll get air bubbles.

Note : This process can get messy so be sure to keep a wet cloth or some paper towels near by.

Next, insert the tip of the syringe into one end of the straw and inject the honey. Be sure to leave some space on both ends of the straw. (refer to image) The space doesn't have to be equal, just be sure to have at least 1/2 an inch of space. This will make the sealing process much easier. After several attempts, I learned that it's best to hold the straw leveled horizontally with the syringe. If you hold it on an angle the honey will flow down on an angle and in turn with create air pockets.

Note : If you are having trouble creating space on both ends, here is a tip: After you inject the amount of honey desired, remove the syringe and squeeze down the end that requires more space. This will push the honey towards the open end. As a result, you will have free space on both ends.

Step 3: Sealing

For the sealing process, I will show you how to seal without a heat sealer.

Warning : This process requires you to seal the end of a melted straw with your fingers. I didn't get hurt in this process but everyone has a different pain tolerance. If you are worried that you'll get hurt, please do not attempt this technique. Use a heat sealer instead.

Note : Before we begin, be sure to keep a wet cloth or a cup of cold water near by in case you get burned.

With the honey injected straw, use the lighter to melt one end. Be sure not to tilt the straw or else the honey may drip out. If this becomes challenging, you have the option of folding one end and taping so you can freely light the other end. Be sure not to melt too much off. This may take several attempts.

Once melted, instantly close the opening with your fingers. Pinch down hard closing the opening. Then, pull away from the straw. This stung the first couple times I did it, but my fingers go use to it after a couple times.

Repeat the process for the other opened end.

Note : Having enough space on the other end is key to have a successful seal. If you need more space, simply pinch a 1/2 inch from the opening to release some honey.

Step 4: Enjoy

Once you have finished sealing all of your Honey Sticks. Pop one open and enjoy!

I've displayed my Honey Sticks in a jar but you can place in anything you want. This makes for a great Spring gift or a fun weekend project with friends and family.

Honey does not expire so you'll be able to enjoy these all year round.

Note : If you place them in the fridge, the honey will crystallize. Some people mistaken this for rancid honey and throw it out. Simply leave out the honey or place it in a warm bowl of water. After several minutes you'll see that your honey is good as new!

Enjoy!