Joe swiped plastic hive frames with a hot "knife" (at least that's what it looked like), revealing golden honey galore. Mounds of beeswax piled into a vat beneath as Joe methodically primed the frames and slipped them into his stainless steel centrifuge contraption whose job it was to spin the honey free. Su
ch an involved process I never imagined, when taking for granted that honey somehow magically flowed from inside hives into the jars that sit so nicely on the shelves in the grocery store.
Since we came in quest of more honey, we left with quarts, pints, and an array of recipes. In addition, we had asked Joe and other local beekeepers about what we had heard on the news and read in the newspaper....Were honeybees disappearing? All concurred that although they do make fewer appearances in yards and local areas, there was no shortage of bees in any hives with which they were acquainted. In fact, Joe stated that one of the best indicators of a thriving honeybee population is the almond crop. Last year, he said, was the best almond crop ever. We left relieved and headed home. That night when I poured several tablespoons of Nursebees' Honey into the cruet to make a luscious Honey Viniagrette for our dinner salad, I did so with much greater awe than ever before.
ch an involved process I never imagined, when taking for granted that honey somehow magically flowed from inside hives into the jars that sit so nicely on the shelves in the grocery store. The collection process now unveiled, the robbing of the hives was next on the beekeeper's agenda. Those 
mesmerized by this prospect (including all three of us) followed Joe onto the front porch where two young boys clamored to get into full beekeeping garb. After attempting to convince his sons that this was a BAD idea, their reluctant father suited up lest he be left behind. Joe lit his smoker, showing us all how the device fooled the bees into worrying about a surrounding fire, rather than the invaders who had come to steal their honey. Six white marauders headed for the hives while we assumed the important job of watching and taking pictures with the zoom lens from the porch!
mesmerized by this prospect (including all three of us) followed Joe onto the front porch where two young boys clamored to get into full beekeeping garb. After attempting to convince his sons that this was a BAD idea, their reluctant father suited up lest he be left behind. Joe lit his smoker, showing us all how the device fooled the bees into worrying about a surrounding fire, rather than the invaders who had come to steal their honey. Six white marauders headed for the hives while we assumed the important job of watching and taking pictures with the zoom lens from the porch! As promised, the bees were calm and the entire event was most uneventful. Even one of the young boys asked, "Is this it"? He most likely held the same image I had in my mind of wild, raging swarms of bees trailing out of hives on the tails of beekeepers running toward the horizon.
Since we came in quest of more honey, we left with quarts, pints, and an array of recipes. In addition, we had asked Joe and other local beekeepers about what we had heard on the news and read in the newspaper....Were honeybees disappearing? All concurred that although they do make fewer appearances in yards and local areas, there was no shortage of bees in any hives with which they were acquainted. In fact, Joe stated that one of the best indicators of a thriving honeybee population is the almond crop. Last year, he said, was the best almond crop ever. We left relieved and headed home. That night when I poured several tablespoons of Nursebees' Honey into the cruet to make a luscious Honey Viniagrette for our dinner salad, I did so with much greater awe than ever before.
1 comment:
As I was reading your post I was wondering about the depleted bee population. I'm glad this local bee keeper has a thriving hive. :o)
All this fresh honey, how yummy!!
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