Interestingly, whenever someone mentions a land of milk of honey, one would naturally think of the country of Israel. The origin of this phrase traces back to Exodus 3:8 when God urged Moses to lead the Israelites out of slavery from Egypt to a land flowing with milk and honey. This piece of land is recognized as the strip of land in between the Jordan River and the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea where the nation of Israel now occupies.
In Israel, did we see cows and bees? We did see cows grazing on hill slope but not bees. Even if bees were around, they were probably too tinny to be seen.
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| Cows. |
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| Horses. |
We caught sight of a camel as well. Instantly, my mind was drawn to the picture of the three wise men from the east riding on camels to Bethlehem some two thousand years ago looking for the new born king!
Israel has one of the most hostile environment for cow breeding. Yet, with advance technologies including computerized milking and feeding systems, cow-cooling systems and unique farming management technique, Israel's dairy industry has become a global leader in efficiency, production and sustainability. Its milk yield per cow is highest in the world. Its annual milk production is 1.6 billion litres.
Israel too produces honey. An internet search shows that it produces around 3,600 tons of honey annually. New Zealand which is famous for their Manuka honey produces 4 to 5 times more at 15,000 tons to 20,000 tons.
Indeed, credit must be accorded to Israel which has 60% desert land for having transformed such hostile environment into a land of comfort and luxury, the figurative equivalent of a land of milk and honey.
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Within this land of milk and honey, we also saw another side of Israelite society. Like many countries faced with squatters and transient people; Bedouins or Arabs in Israel still erect makeshift tents along the road side to survive under the harsh condition of the arid desert.
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