25 Friday Mar 2022
Posted in beekeeping, hive products, honey bee biology, propolis
The varnishing of cells?
Where does this get a mention? It’s in the study notes..
http://basicbeekeeping.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/lesson-113-sticky-subject-of-propolis.html
They asked lots of people too.
In Ribbands, Chapter 27, Huber (1814) observed that new combs become more yellow, more pliable stronger and heavier and sometimes there were reddish threads on the inner walls. Chemical tests showed this was propolis.
Source: Uses of propolis
26 Monday Nov 2018
Posted in beekeeping, hive products, honey bee behavior, propolis
Ask a non-beekeeper what bees collect when they forage and you will probably hear of nectar and pollen. But few will mention propolis. Yet propolis is an essential material bees use to maintain and protect the hive.
To be factually accurate, bees don’t collect propolis. Instead, they create it inside the hive from other substances they have foraged.
Read the full article here: Sticking with Propolis — PerfectBee
09 Tuesday Oct 2018
Posted in beekeeping, hive products
Good article and yes, my bees pay their way here too. The author makes an important point in closing that one must have a love for the bee primarily and any financial gain an added bonus. ~sassafrasbeefarm
Recently I met a friend for lunch, and over sandwiches she inquired about our honey bees. I love talking about our bees, and she is a good friend who indulges me. After I provided a status update she asked, “Are you making money yet?” Her direct question caught me off guard. Most people ask us when we will have honey available, and I think my friend was curious to know if our colonies had reached a point where we could harvest honey for sale. Doug and I are first year beekeepers, so we are letting the bees have all the honey this year to get them through the winter. Nevertheless, my friend’s question made me wonder if hobby beekeepers could make a profit from their bees.
Doug and I became beekeepers because we find bees fascinating. We like learning about bees and talking about bees and taking care of them. I also wanted to increase the output in my vegetable garden. Neither one of us eat that much honey, and we never considered keeping bees for the purpose of generating income. First year beekeepers spend money but don’t make money. However, subsequent years may bring opportunities to actually earn some revenue. Therefore, I decided to make a very rough estimate to see if it is possible for a hobby beekeeper to be profitable. As the saying goes, this is a back of the envelope calculation.
Read the full article here: Can a Hobby Beekeeper Make a Profit? — Married with Bees
09 Monday Oct 2017
Posted in beekeeping, beekeeping chores, extracting, hive products, honey
It’s the time of year that we all love . . . Whether honey is a motivation for your beekeeping or not, it’s always exciting to see those shining jars full of beautiful honey from YOUR bees. Talk about job satisfaction! And yet a new beekeeper said to me the other day that they are…
Read more here: Tips for a hassle-free honey extraction — The Beehive Jive
13 Tuesday Jun 2017
Posted in beekeeping, comb honey, hive products, honey
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Looks like I get to cross another one off my beekeeping bucket list. Comb honey! When I started beekeeping I read Richard Taylor’s book, The Joys of Beekeeping and have had the idea of making comb honey ever since. I crowded this hive after the first month of the flow by removing a super when they actually needed one, and replaced it with a super of Ross Rounds. Now, about three weeks later, all 32 rounds are beautifully capped.
I realized after pulling it that I had no space in the freezer so I put it back on top after inserting a medium. They deserve the space for all their hard work! Currently when foragers return at the end of the day it looks like a package of bees hanging from each entrance.
10 Friday Mar 2017
Posted in beekeeping, beeswax, hive products, products
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FIVE DIFFERENT PRODUCTS I MAKE FROM BEE HIVE CLEAN UP
As you can see above, there are five different products I make when I clean up my hive frames.
First, the ice cube tray is the collection of the dirty wax that are now formed up for firestarters we sell wrapped in cute ways for people who have wood stoves and want an easy storable firestarter. Remember, wax burns!! Second, is rendered wax we use and sell. This pile to the left will be melted down into blocks. Third, are the paper towels that were used in the oven to render the wax. This now becomes another form of firestarter that we also sell for survivalists who go into the back woods to camp. It stores very small in a pouch. Fourth, is honey that was extracted when I separated the wax. I did not show that step but inside my wax clean up jug was this honey and the wax around it was what I rendered out. Amazing right? Honey does not spoil if stored in a dry place. And, this honey has been incased in the wax from this falls harvest and thus is as pure as it can get. And, of course, the fifth product here is the calendula salve made from our own organic calendula, organic olive oil and our own organic bees wax.
How is that for a productive value added SET of products.
This is the wonder of nature and being resourceful.
Source: The Five Value Added Products I Make When I Clean Up Our Bee Hive Frames
Beekeeping365 