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We had our first honey harvest yesterday. Still cleaning up and plan to strain the honey today for wax bits. It was a wonderful productive day. All went well, with the exception of Dad finding QUEEN CHARLOTTE in the last box we had to spin. I just about died. There were bees clumped around her to protect her. Thank goodness my round with the leaf blower didn't blow the clump out or all would have been lost. Dad and I boxed her up and took her back out to her hive at the organic farm. Will check on the hive later this week to see if she is okay. Also plan to add a queen excluder to keep her down in the lower boxes where she belongs!
We set the emptied frames out for the girls to clean after we spun the honey. They were all over them this morning - cleaning, collecting left over honey, and pushing out the broken wax. Captured this little girl floating in time...
I am grateful for all their hard work. It makes me appreciate and savor each tiny drop. Still sifting through photos. Will have more from the harvest soon... For now I've got a sticky garage full of bees waiting for me!
13 comments:
Beautiful picture!
I can just imagine what the honey harvest smells and sounds like.
What an incredible thing to share with your dad...
I found my way here via Flickr - love the site!
Bees are so great, it's our first year with them in our gardens. We just split the hive we got in April.
Love the picture!
ooh, honey! I had my first taste the other day.. stuck my finger in a comb while checking the bees. We harvest in Sept. here. I can not wait. Beautiful photo. Love the caption.
That is an amazing photo...doesn't she look so sweet just buzzing along, her little legs dangling down...love it.
I'm a tad bit jealous of the honey...but I'll be OK. How cool that you and your dad are working together...xoxo
Please do post more photos - like the spinning rig, etc.
Congratulations--I'll bet that honey is delicious. Great shot, Leigh! I'm thoroughly enjoying your adventures.
What an incredible photo!! One you should certainly be proud of! I loved hearing about this process would love to know more about what the queen was doing and why is she being shipped off? ha I have no idea about this but an very intrigued! Thanks for sharing this! I love that you and your Dad are appreciating this together : )
Gorgeous photo, I would love to be able to capture that sort of vision - I need a better camera. My bees down here in the Antipodes are cuddled up close in the cold weather, I knocked gently on the hive and after a soft buzzzzz, out popped a few guard bees, just to let me know, all is well . .
It must be wonderful to have your first honey harvest! Congrats! Yummy!!! The picture is incredible! Great job! -Jackie
Incredible photo!
I'm amazed at the honey harvesting process. I'd love to watch it someti me. If I lived closer, I'd ask you if I could watch.
i am in awe of you.
and the bees for that matter.
such diligent workers.
your shot is gorgeous, have never seen anything like it.
I loved this post, and that's a great photo. You obviously have great love and respect for your bees, and it was a pleasure and honor to read about them.
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