It all started with one Italian Queen. A small colony grew quickly the first Spring and Summer producing many more bees and extra honey for us . It was a joy to extract the extra for ourselves, family and friends . We learned to care for , harvest and produce a product …. luscious, elegant, pure , sweet honey. We decided quite quickly that 2 hives would be better as nature is hard on bees. We bought another queen and split our strong hive into 2 hives . Once again both hives flourished and the abundant natural wildflowers that surround us supported both hives with ease . We did our best to prepare them for winter but the long hard winter of 2015 killed our first hive…. It was too cold for too long for the Italian Queen and her girls. However our Slovenian Queen and her colony survived. A very strong colony grew quickly in the spring and we needed to split her early before they would swarm  and leave us! We ordered a new queen, this time a Russian Survivor queen …. One that could survive the winter as well as bred to resist hive destructing mites. …… they continued to be strong and quickly grew so that once again we made a split to hive number 3 ! This time we felt with such a strong hive and one that made it through one of our toughest winters we should respect the strength of her genetics and breed her daughter . … Which we did or should I say the girls did. So now we have three. They are healthy and productive and each hive has there own Hive Mind and personality. The bees gather from our land and surrounding fields which have laid wild for well over 30 years. We have produce over 230 lbs of honey this year. So we will be selling small limited quantities.

We currently have Summer and Fall Honey available in 12 oz , 1lb and 2 lb  Jars .

Mayan Ruin Bees

I continue to look for and click on bees stories wherever I go. As the snow and worry get deeper here  I find myself looking to see what others are doing .   In our recent trip to Belize I was interested to read this article about bees  in the jungle and Mr Tun.   Belize is a beautiful but poor country , their weather and flowering appears to be good for bees, however they have other struggles including lack of infrastructure, aggressive African Bees and Ants.  I saw some Mr Tun organic Honey at a small grocery store .   I did not get a chance to taste it as we were traveling  but noticed its dark color and checked him out online.  He has an interesting story and web site with 2  short videos . I found Mr Tun’s system of water beneath the hives an ingenious way to keep out what he refers to as the marching army of ants  …..Check out his video and home page    www.tunshoneyhouse.co/

…. and in a very different part of the world ……

I heard a short interview with president Obama that he did  from the kitchen at the White House in which he mentioned White House honey ale made with honey from Michelle’s Garden.. what !!!?    The White house has bees? I did a little research and came across this lovely video  about the white house bees and of course fell in love  with the beautiful  engraved bottle and stopper  too. Check it out http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/video/inside-white-house-bees

New York is grey now , white and grey. These are calming classic colors in the home but endless days with grey and cold are hard on the psych, creative energy and waist line. Cleaning up after Christmas joy at home  makes everything too plain not pretty and not inspiring .  The path back to  the Bees is filled with snow and few visits.  We did take our Christmas tree and prop it up back by the hives to help break the wind and cold for our little friends. My ear tells me they are still in there.. huddling together in a big ball.  I spot an occasional bee out on warmer days and earlier this month we had a warm up to 50 degrees and both hives were very active with the little honeys circling and and gathering out front.  It was great fun  ( and challenging ) to design labels and “packaging ” to send out  and give away their honey for Christmas. I have a couple of experts on my side with my graphic artist daughter and photographer husband  so I do think our labels and packages are beautiful. I did not know  when I started  with bees I would have product.  More than just honey, beeswax is beautiful and beautifying. More is to come on beeswax journey and recipes…… but for now as every good  greying New Yorker wants to do in the winter….. It is time to go south and warm up a bit .

Wrapped and Ready

Let it snow!!!

.

…..None too soon !!

It had crossed my mind that being a bee keeper may also require a few bee stings along the way. I tried to put it out of my mind or at least aside as I got to know and love my bees. After all I was protected by my suit right? Even after my friend told me her angry bees stung her right through the suit I just did not think about it -I was prepared , had my suit, gloves and my 500$ Epi pens.  As the season wore on and I spent so much time observing and caring  for my Bees I (naively? ) thought they recognize me as their kind, benefactor/beekeeper.  So I can say with a deep breathe I was not stung all season well almost . So It was a good season the bees built 2 strong hives, appeared healthy and produced lots of honey for all of us.  Winter in upstate new york can be harsh and snowy.  Our Bees are located in a field with west and north exposure and not too much natural wind and weather block ( … we are working on that but..).   The Beekeeper club and my mentor recommended that we wrap the hives in roofing felt , add mouse guard and some insulation  inside the top cover.  I talked with my mentor, went to the club meeting and viewed overwhelming information and videos on you tube .. easy but confusing every one seems to have a different opinion and does it differently. Some is related to local weather and locations of hives. So One sunny day in mid November I wrapped my hive in 15 weight roof paper making cuts and openings for the entrances on the bottom and top and staple it to the hive and staple it to the hive.   Wrapped and ready cold weather coming the next day!!  … whoops Martin said I should add a empty super with board insulation to the top of the hive .  Okay , It was very cold now but I cut some green board insulation and jammed it into a super  box.  I am feeling like I don’t know what I am doing, how far down do I put the insulation?  I leave a couple inches at the bottom of the board .. Thinking air insulates too  and close up the hive again  Should I wrap the new top boxes too .. Oh poor Martin.. another stupid question from me. Yes Jenny, wrap the top too. So I go back out with Joe for some more wrapping . Now they are ready! I begin to think about what I have heard and read everywhere about Bees in the winter.  Cold sometimes kills bees but wet and cold always kills bees. Ventilation is important as they keep the hive warm 95 and the cold outside makes moisture that needs a way out to keep bees dry. Bees in the winter form a large ball with the queen inside of it. They take turns being on the outside rotating in to keep warm.  Okay now I am worried about that piece of insulation I put in there– hows is the moisture going to get out?  So another text to Martin – Should the insulation have a hole in the top?  Yes Jenny …..ohhhhh . Now it is really cold and snowing. .. but wet kills the bees so  I think I will open the top carefully sliding it half off and use Joe’s hole saw bit by hand .. and I will be in and out quick as to keep the bees as warm as possible . I don’t think I need a bee suit they are very inactive  so out I go with winter coat and gloves.  It goes so well a nice little hole, pretty quick, Hive 1 ,Hive 2 , close it up Now I am ready!!!!  I notice that there are a lot of dead bees which is normal but with the mouse guard I can not sweep them away so I put my head down and blow across the entrance to get rid of the dead bees and open up the entrance for them … Whoa some angry guard bee comes flying out buzzing my head and gets stuck in my hair? I run take off my coat and scarf  to cover my head … when I feel it…  I think I got stung right it the back of my head .    Oh No .     Those Bees take care of business and  protecting their hive is their major business.    Have a warm, dry and safe winter bee friends see ya in the early spring.

Joe and I walk out to see the Bees everyday.. sometimes more than once. They are located behind the garden in the “wild” of our field.  Bees need sun and protection from the wind and elements.  We met our Mentor in March. He came to the house and told us his Bee story. He started with 2 hives 8 years ago but now has 50!  He answered our questions , checked the equipment we had and walked the property with us to find the right spot to locate the Bees. Not too close to the neighbors, not too far to walk and be able to monitor them . The hedgerow was too shady,  the hillside was too windy , the garden was too close . In the snow stained, grayest of days with the ground beginning to thaw and be mud , and the wind chilling us to the bone . I was thinking Bees will not do well here .. too exposed ,cold and windy . Martin looked at the property differently and found a little spot  with some brush , wild pear and cherry trees and a young oak trying to poke above the weeds. I place a dog fence flag on the spot to remember. Even then I started to walk back to look at the spot… could it be good enough.. not too sure as it looked pretty exposed.  It is funny to think back on that now. We mowed a path  with a front approach and side approach  to the Hive  as the weather warmed.  We cleared a circle to provide adequate space to set up  and approach the hive .  It has been a perfect spot.. (well we have not brought them through the winter yet !!? )  …..  and Martin knew that . Joe and I have always done things alone or hire someone. We have bumbled through our projects learning as we have gone along . When I signed in at one of the classes we were asked if we wanted a mentor…I don’t know ..well a little help or someone to call would be nice. Life needs more opportunity for mentors, eyes of experience and interest heart of a teacher, powerful. We have a mentor for our bees and us,  as beekeepers. Important guidance and eyes of experience with a kind guiding . He is teaching us to see and showing us what to do . I wish I had one for my life.