It’s a term of endearment. A term of richness. A term of the ultimate sweetness.

Few food names evoke the emotion and connotation of the word “honey.”

Even the derivation of honey has its place in magic: A bee colony, composed of a seemingly infinite number of workers buzzing back and forth to gather nectar, pollinating flowers in the process, creating a hive and the intricate honeycomb; the fat queen, luxuriating while producing the myriad of eggs needed to carry on the process; even the drones with their albeit brief role in the drama.

The Bible speaks of the land of milk and honey, and America has been given that name. But in recent years, scientists have been studying the decline in honey bees and its resulting impact on food production on this continent and worldwide. Although many theories have been advanced, ranging from the increased use of pesticides to global warning, so far the cause of this trend remains unknown.

But a number of beekeepers continue practicing the art, helping nature and supplying locally-produced honey to those who want to consume it for health reasons as well as its taste.

“We sell a whole lot of it here. We probably sell more honey than any other sweetener,” said Daniel Franke of Oasis Health Foods. “I guess it has to be local to help with your allergies. It’s a nice natural alternative to the processed white sugar and it also makes good mead.”

He once made a batch of the latter, a natural, honey-based alcoholic beverage not often seen today. But it’s something Henry VIII no doubt would have appreciated.

The Oasis carries natural honey produced in Cookson, organic honey and Burt’s Bees products, a variety of skin care and cosmetic bee-related creations. All of these items are popular, Franke said.

“There has been a really big decline in honey production and the honey bees themselves, which also affects our food supply that needs the bees for pollination,” Franke said.

Rhoda Burgess of Burgess Fruit Market said it isn’t as easy to get local honey as it used to be, although she stocks it whenever possible.

The Bur-gesses used to be beekeepers themselves.

“We had bee hives and since my husband’s gone, I can’t take care of them,” she said.

She hopes to keep bees in the future, with the help of her family. Most people who ask for local honey want it for allergies, and she said she can testify to its effectiveness — consuming a little natural honey daily helped her daughter’s allergies.

“That’s what they want it for, their allergies,” she said. “When we had honey, we’d have steady orders, people who wanted to buy it by the case. Good honey is hard to find.”

Fortunately for those who enjoy its taste, it isn’t hard to store or cook with. “Honey is one of the most stable products there is,” Franke said.