OH Honey!

As the day light hours get smaller and smaller I say to myself how am I to get it all done each day.  We moved back chore time 1/2 hour.  Now we go out at 5:00pm instead of 5:30pm.  Soon it will be 4:30, it is a shift.  A shift to start winter things.  Baking and canning and stewing.  The winter garden is in and the new garden fence and trellis (pics to follow) are so inviting.  I want to spend even more time in the garden.  But it is time now to put things to bed.  We started with the bees.  We were able to harvest 3 frames of honey, about 9 pounds and oh my it is to dye for!!  We were not sure that

we would have any, but after a hive inspection, it was decided that 3 frames would be fine.  Some of the area was not totally filled but we picked frames that would be easier for the bees to refill, i.e., we would spin our the honey and put the wet frames back in.  For those non-beekeepers, that means that the bees will get back the same frames so they just have to refill the comb and not rebuild it.

Frames after they have been removed from the hive

Once the frames were removed it was off to Ettamarie's to extract.  Blaine was a champ!  I was a little afraid to let him use the hot knife, but he went after it like a pro.

See that liquid gold on the right, yes that it, FIRST PLACE!!!  He had to compete with adults that have been doing honey much longer than he has, what an accomplishment! 

I can not wait to harvest in late spring early summer.  Blaine has decided to add 2 more hives.  Those of you lucky enough to have tasted the first batch......stay tuned.  I think that Blaine's beekeeping is here for the long run!