2 months with no post

I do apologize to everyone about not posting very often. I get caught up with life and forget.

So here is what you have missed:

The two hives with the Kona queens got a type of paralysis virus. I am no longer in favor of the Kona Hawaii queens. tons of dead bees and tons more quivering clinging to the frames and inside the hive.

I requeened them both and sterilized everything each time I went in them. After a month or two they seem to be doing better. There is no cure, just have to get lucky and get some new genetics.


Cutouts galore!

This one was in a rent house and had been there for over 10 years!

The one below was in an old tree on a golf course. They didnt want to kill them, so they called me.

I did it for free. The reason it was free? They understand the importance of bees and are paying me to keep some hives on their property. I just have to share the honey from them for their chef to cook with (but mostly for them to eat).

And lastly I have a friend who works for a water company and they said there were honey bees in the meter box.

I did this one for free because he is a good friend, and also because they were just going to kill them if I didn't get them. Turned out that the meter reader freaked out and sprayed them and didn't tell anyone. I only got a handfull of bees.

Onto the honey harvest!

In all I ended up with 91 quarts of honey! that is after making 10 splits and quite a few queens! It took me about 3 days to process it all.

It is a beautiful golden yellow color. I have quite a bit left, but I am getting ready to sell a bunch to the local grocery due to the new organic and local food push we are having around here. I am a part of http://www.naturallygrown.org/ and I will be able to get about 2$ more per pint!

But, I have a problem.... or a blessing. I am not sure yet. I managed to keep it at the perfect temperature to cream it (by accident).... And now about half of the jars have creamed. No, not crystalized, creamed. I have about 40 quarts of creamed honey in jars!

Mead me:

I am in the process of making 4 new types of mead. Sweet and dry versions of blackberry and cherry. Both were fresh picked and are doing well. I cannot wait to try them, but it will be next year before I can!

That's what you have missed over the last 2.5 months summed up in a post!