It was a long night of harvesting resulting in 9 gallons of honey 🤩 and the honey season has just begun!
Slow mo video of spinning the honey out of frames 🐝🍯
Honey Harvest 2021
And just like that it's Honey Harvest season again! This year we were lucky enough to harvest some light honey and darker honey! The lighter honey has a light, unique taste, while the darker has such a deep and rich flavor 🤩
Happy Spring
Happy Spring!
#AshlandVA
#AshlandVirginia
Bee Bath
Do you have trouble with bees getting in your pool or your neighbor's? Bees are drawn to pools, pet water bowls, livestock water troughs, etc. Add a bird bath or ceramic dish with marbles between the pool and hive, trying to find a cooler area with partial shade as bees prefer cooler water. Put the water station no closer than 15-20 ft from the bee hive if possible, it's actually easier for them to find it. There are multiple things you can fill it with to help make the bees choose to quench their thirst there instead of the pool. Your easiest option is simply adding the pool water. Bees are after the salt in the chlorine. They love the minerals as well as using it to cure their honey. They also use water to cool their hive in the heat of the summer. You can also just add a tiny bit of chlorine tablet into the water of their bee bath. The next option is adding sea salt to their water station. I believe the typical amount is about 2 tablespoons per gallon of water. I just sprinkle it and avoid making it too salty. As far as water sources- if you have access to a creek, they love creek water as it offers minerals, but any water will do. The last option is adding 1 teaspoon of chlorine bleach per gallon of water. I use a cap full per gallon of water if I do not have anything to measure. Along with these filling options to attract the bees, also try to avoid cleaning the bee bath too much. The bees love dirtier water; the smell helps them find it much better than clean water and it also offers nutrients.
As long as you keep it filled and cool, they should choose your new bee bath over the pool, just give them some time to find it. It is very important for bees to have water this time of year. They not only drink it, but use it with honey to give their brood as well as using it to cool their hive from the summer heat.
Enjoy the pictures of our hives, and see where your local honey comes from
