harvesting honey – Slightly Off the Grid

July 16, 2019

Propolis: Bane of the Beekeeper’s Wife

There are many things that set me off on a rant but the worst ones involve Any Other Person messing up My Stuff. It doesn’t have to technically be my stuff. If I use it and/or clean it, it counts as mine. Any beekeeper wife will agree that beekeeping presents some challenges with protecting stuff. Continue reading

beekeeping

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June 28, 2019

The First of This Year’s Honey: Beating the Bear

We pulled four frames of honey today. They were capped and we are so afraid that the local bear will defeat our electric fence and get to the hives again that we decided to pull some honey as soon as possible. Those of you familiar with our bear escapades will remember that last year the Continue reading

beekeeping, honey, wildlife

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September 28, 2014

September Bees–and Moths for the Freezer

The honey bees are busy with the last burst of blooming weeds that cause humans so much distress, so bee season has not quite ended here. However, we have not inspected the bees in awhile. A gorgeous summery weekend in early fall was a great opportunity. (Especially since the next two weekends will find us on Continue reading

beekeeping, honey, honeybees

beekeeping, condensation in bee hives, fall honey harvest, harvesting honey, honeybees, maywood living, propolis, small hive beetles, wax moths

August 6, 2014

How Much Honey?

It’s the big question everyone has when we harvest a honey box. How much honey is in there? Family wants to know, “Will we get some for Christmas?” Colleagues ask, “Will you have any to sell this year? Mr. Beekeeper asks, “How many pounds did I carry up from the bee yard?” Mrs. Beekeeper asks, Continue reading

beekeeping, country life, honey, how to

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October 15, 2012

A perfect Maywood day

On a clear crisp October day, where better to be than at Maywood, with a kaleidoscope of leaves floating earthward? And what better things to do than sawmill and introduce a new family to the wonders of beekeeping? Top it off with a dinner of grilled bluefish caught last weekend in Cape May, N.J. and Continue reading

beekeeping, country life, Mondays at Maywood, sawmill

autumn leaves, beekeeping, grilled bluefish with cranberry dill sauce, harvesting honey, maywood living, mondays at maywood, sawmill

August 3, 2012

Honey Harvest 2012

If there’s anything more satisfying to a beekeeper than seeing buckets of harvested honey, it is seeing that golden sweetness in jars. It’s a little bit arrogant on our part to take pride in a good harvest since the bees make the honey, but there’s enough work on the part of the beekeeper to justify it. Continue reading

beekeeping, beeswax, country life, honey, honeybees, Mondays at Maywood, tractor

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July 27, 2010

Harvesting the honey

Let the honey harvest begin! Sunday afternoon John began harvesting honey. A sudden thunderstorm cut his work short, so he only pulled frames from one hive. The rest will have to wait until next weekend. He was able to pull ten frames of honey from that one hive, yielding about four gallons of honey. We’ll know Continue reading

honey, honeybees

beekeeping, harvesting honey, honey