Bit of Earth Honey

[Reinbeau]

We spent the day extracting the honey from the hives in Maine. Brought them down last weekend. There were six of them, but there were a few in there that were light, a couple not filled at all. Some wasn't capped all the way, but withstood the shake test, so we extracted them anyways.

Hubby bought me a cold uncapping knife, and I really like it. I had the hot knife plugged in, but unplugged it quickly. That cold knife cut through easier, and dealt with comb that hadn't been built out very far. I was pleasantly surprised.

The honey is all mixed up. Some frames were very blond, some very dark, and some had a little of both! It's a rich, full bodied honey, not herbal or floral like what we'll get off the hives down here. That has to happen soon! Problem is weekends are too short when you have to work on Saturday, and he's been working lots of Saturdays.

Here are a few pics, first a nice full frame:

Greg says "Annie, look!":

Here's the knife in action:

Someday I want to get labels made with my little homestead name, both for the honey and for the eggs. I've got a picture in my mind of what I want, but getting that onto a label is going to take some doing - by someone else! I can't draw a straight line.

 

[ChickaD]

Beautiful!

I'll bet you can't wait to get some of that on pancakes!

 

[kstaven]

I'm jealous. Need to get my hives going next year.

 

[earlybird]

How wonderful! It's nice to find another beekeeper on BYC. My husband and I just started beekeeping this year. We live in Oregon. It looks like you got a wonderful harvest, I take it these are not first year hives?
We administered some medications today and our weaker hive was very aggressive. I'm sure they were protecting what little food they have. Their hive was very light. I'm afraid they were probably victims of robbing. I learn a new lesson every day with them.

I have the same situation with my label. I know what I want it to look like, just have to get it on paper.

Congrats on your harvest! What does honey sell for back there, say for a 8 fl. oz jar?

 

[joebryant]

Those pictures make me really miss my three hives. I had to give them up about fifteen years ago because I became literally deathly allergic to stings. The last time I was stung, I passed out. I took all the tests, and the doctors told me that the next time I was stung I'd have seconds, not minutes, to get the shot into me, or I'd be dead. After going ten years without getting stung, I was tested again, and passed. Now if I get stung all I have to do is take a pill. BUT I still can't have hives again.
It's a year-long wonderful and fascinating hobby!

 

[PAChickenChick]

You guys are lucky...and I'm envious...here in PA you aren't allowed to have hives unless you get "registered" as a bee keeper and then you are subject to loads of inspections. In fact...if you get caught with an unregistered hive and it turns out that your bees have any sort of disease then you are personally libel for any failures other keepers in the WHOLE of PA are having.

In light of CCD...I think it's great that some one is taking the time (and spending the money) to raise the ALL IMPORTANT Honey Bee. We're really going to be in trouble if we can keep the Honey Bee population up and thriving!

 

[joebryant]

Quote:
Along with the new mites and diseases, the time is long past when all a beekeeper has to do is put out a hive, do a few things, and gather honey. My son and daughter-in-law have three hives here in Indiana. I wish Indiana had the required registration and inspections. My son and dil are very vigilant and responsible; many beekeepers aren't. I think most responsible beekeepers TODAY would appreciate everyone's being inspected.

 

[PAChickenChick]

Quote:
Hmmmm....well, that IS a good point! I guess I'm just mad because somehow in PA anything that deals with regulation ALMOST always equals corruption. We have a lot of good Farming Families that really do the best and right thing but if they don't conform to "industry standards" they get shut down. A good example of that would be "raw milk". Around here...it's like a dirty word that gets warning labels slapped all over it and only certain stores can buy it, and the farmers that have been supplying it for years and years are now getting told that they aren't meeting "standards".
I mean, you are right...it's a shame when some folks don't take the care to do it correctly...and they SHOULD be held accountable and shut down...but it seems like around here...it you're not a "good ol' boy" you get shut down due to some regulation.

 

[joebryant]

Quote:
Hmmmm....well, that IS a good point! I guess I'm just mad because somehow in PA anything that deals with regulation ALMOST always equals corruption. We have a lot of good Farming Families that really do the best and right thing but if they don't conform to "industry standards" they get shut down. A good example of that would be "raw milk". Around here...it's like a dirty word that gets warning labels slapped all over it and only certain stores can buy it, and the farmers that have been supplying it for years and years are now getting told that they aren't meeting "standards".
I mean, you are right...it's a shame when some folks don't take the care to do it correctly...and they SHOULD be held accountable and shut down...but it seems like around here...it you're not a "good ol' boy" you get shut down due to some regulation.

I hear you loud and clear about corruption and "good ol' boy" politics. It'd be scarey having an inspector who spotted three beekeepers with the same fault, but only one got stuck with the blame/expense. We have that kind of corruption in almost every county in Indiana. Our courts are filled with "judges" who are nothing more than front-line guards of their political bosses' campaign funders who buy special dispensations from our laws and protection from their victims who are damaged by their shenanigans.

 

[kstaven]

Quote:
Hmmmm....well, that IS a good point! I guess I'm just mad because somehow in PA anything that deals with regulation ALMOST always equals corruption. We have a lot of good Farming Families that really do the best and right thing but if they don't conform to "industry standards" they get shut down. A good example of that would be "raw milk". Around here...it's like a dirty word that gets warning labels slapped all over it and only certain stores can buy it, and the farmers that have been supplying it for years and years are now getting told that they aren't meeting "standards".
I mean, you are right...it's a shame when some folks don't take the care to do it correctly...and they SHOULD be held accountable and shut down...but it seems like around here...it you're not a "good ol' boy" you get shut down due to some regulation.

Standards have there place. But when they are used to enslave producers there is a big problem. Mark Nolt down in your area is a good example of a person who has the guts to stand up and say NO MORE. Need more people like him.