Thanks to pollinators (and the four sets of beekeepers on our farm!), we produce the vegetables we enjoy, watch native flowers bloom in the prairie, and see our food forest fruit trees and shrubs thrive. We cannot overstate the importance of pollinators on our farm! However, this year’s beekeeping season was a challenge for us all.
March 13, 2024
While a warmer winter allowed the bee hives to remain comfortable, the early March warmth caused the bees to leave their homes looking for food (pollen). Trees and flowers had yet to bud, so we harvested bolted bok choy flowers for them for food.
We wonder if the consistent rain we received this spring and early summer washed away much of the pollen and nectar, while the cloudy, wet days kept the bees inside the hive longer. This combination resulted in a much smaller honey harvest than previous year’s even while tending to more hives.
Additionally, Jeff and Gavin were busier than expected with the start of school and were forced to harvest the honey later than usual, after the bees had already begun their winter preparations. Unlike their more calm demeanor in summer, the bees were miffed to be disturbed! Luckily, the beekeeping suits kept them (mostly) protected from bee stings.
Sadly, when Jeff and Gavin went out to the bees this Sunday to prepare them for winter, wasps had taken over the hive and killed all of the honey bees. Jeff and Gavin cleaned up the hives and prepared them for a new batch of bees next season. Thanks to this season’s lessons, they learned a lot and, luckily, remain optimistic about next season’s beekeeping.
The year’s honey harvest was still lovely, with a beautiful golden hue, likely from the late summer pollen collected from prairie plans and nearby broccolini flowers. The flavor is more pronounced than last year’s lighter honey flavor.
Gavin’s Honey differs from honey in the Farm Store as each jar includes a slice of the valuable honeycomb. This is because Gavin loves to eat honey from the comb and encourages others to try it! We enjoy featuring honeycomb on our Thanksgiving cheese platter.
You can find Gavin’s Honey at the Liberty Prairie Farm Store starting this weekend to celebrate the one-year anniversary. Every purchase of Gavin’s Honey will go toward Gavin’s purchase of more bees for next season. Thank you for supporting bees at the farm!
Your farmers,
~The Miller Family and David, Cleto, Anacleto, Miguel and Saul