Honey Bees

When I was young, my family and I would travel to my uncle’s house in the fall for the yearly processing of honey.  We would all help my uncle and grandfather with spinning the honey out of the comb. The extractor was a big metal container with a handle on it which we took turns turning. The room which they spun the honey was always kept warm so the honey would flow easily and the aroma in the room was such a sweet smell. Usually this process of spinning was an all day job, but by the end of the day you would end up with a jar of golden sweetness.

Here at Apple Creek Herb Farm we have been keeping honey bees for 5 years now. I am a 3^rd generation bee keeper in my family. When I first started I thought all you do is put your bees in a hive and the bees do the rest. Well, I was wrong. My husband and I joined a beekeeping group called the Lincolnland Beekeepers and we learned that there is more to beekeeping than we thought. In the spring you have to make sure they have plenty to eat. If they are all out of honey you have to make up some sugar water to feed them until the plants and trees start blooming. Also you need to inspect them and make sure they are not having any problems with mites or diseases. Raising honey bees is a very interesting project. If you are interested in keeping honey bees I would recommend contacting a beekeeping organization in your area.