We've been busy, as have the bees!
After inspecting Bee Hill, Mark spent the 4th of July painting honey supers. He anticipates a big harvest.
We're in the final stages of redesigning our logo and honey labels, and I'm *very excited!* I'll give you a sneak peak when everything is finalized.
Today I met the new Extension apicultural specialist, that is, beekeeping expert. I've got a news release about him coming out this week at work, which I'll post here after it's out. He came to MSU from USDA's bee breeding lab in Louisiana, but has been a beekeeper since he caught his first swarm at age 8. Welcome to MS, Dr. Jeff Harris!
My garden is surviving. The hummingbirds are in constant battle over the feeders -- and we have 3! I'm selling honey in fits and starts through a couple of different Facebook pages. The spring harvest is almost gone. The soybeans are in bloom.
Tonight Mark is assembling frames to make cut-comb honey. This involves papery thin sheets of wax, bobby pins, and teeny-tiny nails.
All in all, life is good at PBBF. I hope your summer is going well, too!
Saturday, July 21, 2012
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Info. on Pollinators
In support of National Pollinator Week, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service did a series of blog entries on pollinators. They also have a web page about pollinators and showed off the new pollinators poster, "Pollinator Pathways" by Steve Buchanan. I may have to stop by our local NRCS office and see if they have any!
Monday, June 25, 2012
Velcro flower petals?
Flower petals appear to be smooth, but this article discusses a study that shows the petals act like Velcro to bee feet!
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
A Visit to the Dutch Gold Facility in Pennsylvania
In the book Robbing the Bees (link goes to my book review) by Holley Bishop, she talks about the first honey bear container's creation leading to a family business that is known as Dutch Gold, in Lancaster, PA.
In addition to a display of historic beekeeping equipment, they sell containers and an assortment of varietal honeys. They buy honey from all over the world and stack the barrels in their warehouse. Because the honey sugars, the first step is to put the barrels in a hot room for about 3 days before pouring it into a large vat. Through a glass window we watched how they steam the honey barrels to get out all of the product. The honey is then heated to 180+ degrees, blended into one of their recipes to get the desired flavor, cooled to about 140 degrees, and piped into bottles. It's honey bottling on a scale I've never seen -- a true mechanical assembly line moving at a rapid pace.The honey has to stay hot to move swiftly through the machines.
Each bottle is weighed, labeled and boxed to be shipped. At the time we visited, they were bottling for Costco, which has its own honey label. Many grocery store chains also carry Dutch Gold honey, but under the store's own label.
Our guide assured us that they go through strict protocols to make sure the honey they buy both domestically and abroad is high quality. They send honey samples to a lab in Germany to test it for antibiotics and other impurities before they agree to purchase from any beekeeper.
It was a fascinating visit, but one that convinced me -- more than ever -- of the importance of buying local honey. Yes, super-heated honey will not sugar, is a pretty color in the jar, and will likely have a consistent, if generic, honey flavor. But the minerals and enzymes that make honey something more than liquid sugar are gone. If you go to the National Honey Board's website, you can download a free PDF about the "Reference Guide to Nature's Sweetener" to learn more.
In return for our free tour, we bought two bottles of varietal honey we don't see often: raspberry and orange blossom. Our tradition of buying honey while traveling continues -- more on the "real, local" honey we purchased in a future post.
Photo highlights:
In addition to a display of historic beekeeping equipment, they sell containers and an assortment of varietal honeys. They buy honey from all over the world and stack the barrels in their warehouse. Because the honey sugars, the first step is to put the barrels in a hot room for about 3 days before pouring it into a large vat. Through a glass window we watched how they steam the honey barrels to get out all of the product. The honey is then heated to 180+ degrees, blended into one of their recipes to get the desired flavor, cooled to about 140 degrees, and piped into bottles. It's honey bottling on a scale I've never seen -- a true mechanical assembly line moving at a rapid pace.The honey has to stay hot to move swiftly through the machines.
Each bottle is weighed, labeled and boxed to be shipped. At the time we visited, they were bottling for Costco, which has its own honey label. Many grocery store chains also carry Dutch Gold honey, but under the store's own label.
Our guide assured us that they go through strict protocols to make sure the honey they buy both domestically and abroad is high quality. They send honey samples to a lab in Germany to test it for antibiotics and other impurities before they agree to purchase from any beekeeper.
It was a fascinating visit, but one that convinced me -- more than ever -- of the importance of buying local honey. Yes, super-heated honey will not sugar, is a pretty color in the jar, and will likely have a consistent, if generic, honey flavor. But the minerals and enzymes that make honey something more than liquid sugar are gone. If you go to the National Honey Board's website, you can download a free PDF about the "Reference Guide to Nature's Sweetener" to learn more.
In return for our free tour, we bought two bottles of varietal honey we don't see often: raspberry and orange blossom. Our tradition of buying honey while traveling continues -- more on the "real, local" honey we purchased in a future post.
Photo highlights:
 |
| My favorite beekeeper. |
 |
| An historic photograph. |
 |
| A collection of old smokers. |
 |
| Skeps and hives. |
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Golden Triangle Beekeepers' Meeting
Last Thursday we hosted a meeting for local beekeepers. Reid Nevins, the Lowndes County Extension Service director organized it. We took a field trip to our bee yard, and Mark talked about some of the new equipment he's trying, such as a slatted bottom board for more ventilation, and the oil traps to control small hive beetles.
Several very experienced beekeepers attended, so newer beekeepers had plenty of people to talk to -- if they would. Beekeeping tends to attract some solitary, quiet individuals!
Thanks to everyone who joined us. I can't promise I'll remember your names, but the more we get together, the greater the chances are!
P.S. Bob, from this post, joined us.
Several very experienced beekeepers attended, so newer beekeepers had plenty of people to talk to -- if they would. Beekeeping tends to attract some solitary, quiet individuals!
Thanks to everyone who joined us. I can't promise I'll remember your names, but the more we get together, the greater the chances are!
P.S. Bob, from this post, joined us.
Friday, June 8, 2012
Honey Turkey Rollers from the National Honey Board
I made these Monday night and they were a big hit. It will come as a surprise to no one that I added fresh baby spinach to them. Gotta get those veggies in! (Okay, I also used more turkey, I suspect, but the key here is the sauce -- delicious! Especially with PBBF honey!) Sarah made sure the end pieces, which weren't quite full, didn't go to waste. :-) Enjoy!
Honey Turkey Rollers
Makes 6 servings
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/4 cup mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, optional
- 6 (8-inch) whole wheat tortillas
- 1-1/2 cups Colby Jack cheese, shredded
- 12 thin slices turkey
In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add honey, mustard and onion powder; mix well. Spread 1 to 2 tablespoons of honey cream cheese mixture out to the edge of each tortilla. Sprinkle each tortilla with 1/4 cup cheese, leaving about 1 inch around the edge. Place 2 slices of turkey on each tortilla. Roll up each tortilla tightly and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill at least 30 minutes, then slice each tortilla log into eight 1-inch rounds and serve.
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Blueberry Pie
The delicious blueberries available this time of year are possible thanks to pollinators. Here in Mississippi we have the Southern blueberry bee to help, along with many others.
Some friends had us over Monday night, and invited us to pick blueberries to take home with us. I've been in blueberry heaven ever since.
Here is my favorite recipe for blueberry pie, from Frances Barham's cookbook, recipe by Kim Latham.
Crust for a double crust pie
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
3 cups blueberries (you can use frozen if needed)
2/3 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. margarine (I've used butter, and tend to use more than 1 Tbsp. -- I dollop generously!)
Sprinkle lemon juice over blueberries. Mix sugar and cornstarch together, then stir into blueberries. Put into pie crust. Dot with margarine. Cover with top crust and cut vents in the crust. Bake at 400 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until the filling bubbles and the crust is golden brown. **You may want to put a cookie sheet on the rack underneath to catch any juices that overflow. Or, you can be like me, and get to clean your oven. ;-)
Enjoy!
Keri
Call Mark if you need honey! 662-418-4422
Some friends had us over Monday night, and invited us to pick blueberries to take home with us. I've been in blueberry heaven ever since.
Here is my favorite recipe for blueberry pie, from Frances Barham's cookbook, recipe by Kim Latham.
Crust for a double crust pie
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
3 cups blueberries (you can use frozen if needed)
2/3 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. margarine (I've used butter, and tend to use more than 1 Tbsp. -- I dollop generously!)
Sprinkle lemon juice over blueberries. Mix sugar and cornstarch together, then stir into blueberries. Put into pie crust. Dot with margarine. Cover with top crust and cut vents in the crust. Bake at 400 degrees for 50-60 minutes or until the filling bubbles and the crust is golden brown. **You may want to put a cookie sheet on the rack underneath to catch any juices that overflow. Or, you can be like me, and get to clean your oven. ;-)
Enjoy!
Keri
Call Mark if you need honey! 662-418-4422
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