One of the things I like about top bar hives is watching the bees build new comb in thin air. I give the bees a bar with a guide on it and they work their magic – building comb down from the top into the space below. No sheet of Read more…
The Sanskrit word seva is usually translated as “selfless service” – work performed without any thought of reward or repayment. It’s an important part of my practice both at the ashram and in my everyday life. Every summer, the youth group at my former church goes on a work camp Read more…
… it’s time to get ready for a new beekeeping season! For the first time in a while, we’re having a snowy, wintery day in Colorado. This winter has been very dry and fluctuated from highs in the 60’s to highs in the teens. On Thursday, it was close to Read more…
For many (if not most) beekeepers, harvesting honey is one of the most enjoyable times of the year. Your bees survived the winter or you got new bees in the spring, you tended them with care through the summer to make sure they were happy and healthy. If you are Read more…
Sarah’s hive was one of the most productive of my hives this year. Even though the bees did a lot of cross combing, they made some of the most beautiful and tasty white honey combs. The colony had been booming all summer and there where no obvious (at least to Read more…
It’s been a hot, dry summer for the bees, but that hasn’t stopped them from making a good crop of honey. Normally, first year packages spend their time building comb and enough honey to get them through the winter and a honey harvest is not in the cards. But mine Read more…
I took advantage of a change in the weather (30 degrees F cooler than yesterday) to harvest some of the honey out of BnB1. In past inspections, they had been making brand new white comb in the back and capping some delicious looking honey in it – perfect for taking Read more…