Honey Harvest 2011

We got to show the kids how we harvest honey and steward the backyard hive. We found LOTS of honey which was exciting but we did not find lots of brood (egg cells and developing bees). Each time we pulled out frames full of honey the kids would clap with excitement. More importantly, each time we did find brood cells they would cheer, "Go queen! Go queen! (clap clap) Go queen! Go queen! (clap, clap)". They get it. No brood=no future bees.


We took ten honey-filled frames from the hive and left the bees that same amount to feed them through the Winter. We plan to help them with food as well.


Uncapping the comb to prepare it for the spinner. Kids can't keep their fingers out of the cappings!


Frames in the spinner. All set to spin!


Out comes the honey. This year's harvest was 25 pounds of honey which came to 2.5 gallons! Go bees!


While we cleaned up outside the boys ran inside and grabbed some packing paper they had been playing with. They both made their own beekeeper suits!

Cross your fingers for the our bees. We'll pamper them over the Winter and report back to you in the Spring.