last wednesday~ 18 frames of goodness from one hive yielded five gallons of the sweet stuff. this is our first 'big' harvest and oh my, I feel rich indeed.
Simply wonderful! I was just thinking to myself today as I made a cheesecake sweetened with local honey how I wish we had bees so I wouldn't have to feel back about using 1/2 a cup of honey.
oh I know! last year we got way less and I made a giant batch of elderberry syrup for us and for one of my swaps and it was hard parting with that much honey. definitely not feeling like I need to ration it right about now, and with still a couple gallons of maple syrup, we should be good on sweeteners for a bit! I would highly recommend getting bees!
thank you, Janet~ it is indeed very sweet and delicious! so far, I've been drizzling it on yogurt and putting it in tea. I'll probably stick with maple syrup for our granola and some baking (we tap sugar maples and make our own, so we've got a fair amount of it as well), but once the elderberries are ready I'll use quite a bit of honey to make elderberry syrup. if I get into anything fancy or exciting with it, I'll be sure to share!
that is awesome~ we only extracted from one of our hives for now, the other two don't seem quite there yet. we are thinking we may be able to extract again the end of August, but we'll see.
love love love love love love love love. there was an article in the paper yesterday about how so many hives are just not making it these days. i thought if more people had backyard bees it would be so helpful for the planet. It's on my list. It really is. XOXOX
yes- we cut away the cappings (the whitish covering over the honey) before placing the frames into the extractor, then spin out the honey, and then replace the frames (with the now empty honeycomb) back in the hives for the bees to fill again. some of the comb, like the bits that are in bowls in the photos, had areas that we had to cut out for one reason or another, and so those bits we crushed and strained along with the cappings.
Oh wow! I'm planning on taking my first bit of honey tomorrow (I've just put the bee escape on today). I'm so excited and seeing the pictures of your harvest makes it all the more exciting. I can't wait until tomorrow! :)
This looks like our kitchen several years ago, though you harvested much more honey than we did. Our day also ended with one of the Corgis licking the honey out of the extractor spout!
I bet you had the greatest time and I also bet that honey tastes amazing!
ReplyDeleteit is soooooo good, Tracey!
Deleteoh my! What delightful photos!!
ReplyDeletethanks, Summer!
Deleteoh my goodness - looks beautiful!
ReplyDeletethank you, Karen~ it is wonderful!
DeleteWOW. With all that liquid gold, you are wealthy indeed!
ReplyDelete:)
DeleteStunning, rich indeed. I was also admiring the wood pile. Have a great week.
ReplyDeleteoh the wood pile...... yes, it is getting refilled at a pretty good clip for next winter
DeleteSimply wonderful! I was just thinking to myself today as I made a cheesecake sweetened with local honey how I wish we had bees so I wouldn't have to feel back about using 1/2 a cup of honey.
ReplyDeleteoh I know! last year we got way less and I made a giant batch of elderberry syrup for us and for one of my swaps and it was hard parting with that much honey. definitely not feeling like I need to ration it right about now, and with still a couple gallons of maple syrup, we should be good on sweeteners for a bit! I would highly recommend getting bees!
DeleteOh, your pictures are beautiful. All that honey, sweet and delicious. Will you share how you use it with your readers?
ReplyDeleteHave a beautiful day!!
Janet
thank you, Janet~ it is indeed very sweet and delicious! so far, I've been drizzling it on yogurt and putting it in tea. I'll probably stick with maple syrup for our granola and some baking (we tap sugar maples and make our own, so we've got a fair amount of it as well), but once the elderberries are ready I'll use quite a bit of honey to make elderberry syrup. if I get into anything fancy or exciting with it, I'll be sure to share!
Deletehurray! honey season is upon you :)
ReplyDeleteindeed!
Delete:)
My mom just extracted honey from her 2 hives last weekend and got 10 gallons. You ladies are rich, indeed! Beekeeping is so cool.
ReplyDeletethat is awesome~ we only extracted from one of our hives for now, the other two don't seem quite there yet. we are thinking we may be able to extract again the end of August, but we'll see.
Deletelove love love love love love love love.
ReplyDeletethere was an article in the paper yesterday about how so many hives are just not making it these days. i thought if more people had backyard bees it would be so helpful for the planet.
It's on my list. It really is.
XOXOX
that's a whole lotta love, lady ;) I know you love the bees and have been thinking about them for a good long while.
DeleteI agree, the more backyard bees, the better, I say!
xoxo
I adore the picture of all the jars lined up on your window sill. The honey must taste amazing!
ReplyDeletethanks, Anke~ it is very tasty, indeed! not too light, not too heavy.... just right.
DeleteDang! That is awesome! So beautiful. I've no doubt you would feel rich with that haul.
ReplyDeleteit's very exciting~ and it's our first really sizable harvest. woohoooo!
Deletethanks, Kim!
ReplyDeleteThat is super amazing. What do you do with the honeycomb? Is that used over and over again?
ReplyDeleteyes- we cut away the cappings (the whitish covering over the honey) before placing the frames into the extractor, then spin out the honey, and then replace the frames (with the now empty honeycomb) back in the hives for the bees to fill again. some of the comb, like the bits that are in bowls in the photos, had areas that we had to cut out for one reason or another, and so those bits we crushed and strained along with the cappings.
DeleteOh wow! I'm planning on taking my first bit of honey tomorrow (I've just put the bee escape on today). I'm so excited and seeing the pictures of your harvest makes it all the more exciting. I can't wait until tomorrow! :)
ReplyDeleteexcellent! I hope you have a wonderful honey harvest~
DeleteWhat a blessing!!
ReplyDeleteagreed! :)
DeleteThis looks like our kitchen several years ago, though you harvested much more honey than we did. Our day also ended with one of the Corgis licking the honey out of the extractor spout!
ReplyDeletesmart little Corgi!
Delete