On a very hot summer day you can observe the worker bees at the
hive entrance fanning their wings to keep the hive at the necessary temperature
- 90-97 degrees Fahrenheit -- for raising brood, as well as to evaporate the
water from the nectar to help turn it into honey. It is amazing to see how these
tiny creatures brace themselves on their legs in a hunched-over position,
remaining in position as they are jostled by other workers and drones coming and
going, and even by would-be invaders such as yellow jackets and bumblebees.
Single-minded in their devotion to their task, they leave it to the guard bees
to chase away potential robbers.
Our Products:
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Apitherapy Honey | Rejuvenation Tonic | Elderberry Syrup | Wild Cherry Bark Syrup | Propolis Salve | Propolis Spray | Candles | Mead Honey Wine |
|
to receive Honey Gardens newsletters |
Newsletters
|
the cross pollination of life
With six colonies of bees next to a plantation of elderberry, we patiently waited for a picture of a honey bee on an elderberry flower."Elderberries are very likely mainly wind pollinated. Insects probably play an accessory role in that process. It is however hard to get hard evidences for this, but over the last 3 years our observations support the wind pollination theory.” Denis Charlebois, head of the Agriculture Canada elderberry project, Quebec The land this morning was rich with the glory of July in the Champlain Valley. Milkweed, mustard, asters, St. John's wort, buttercups, birdsfoot trefoil; red clover, sumac berries ripening, purple vetch, daisies, boneset, bindweed, chicory. Blackberries have set seeds. Crows, blackbirds, robins, doves. The air is redolent with the perfume of flowers and the bursting color. And among it all, pollinators: flies, wasps, beetles, butterflies, moths, solitary bees, bumblebees, and our beloved honeybee. Thank you for your support of the bees, plant medicine, and those that work in agriculture.
|
|
late Spring 2008 the cross pollination of life
In the early days of Spring, we visited the bees as the last patches of snow lingered throughout the land. Choruses of frogs sang for weeks, as waves of red maples were lighting up the hills, signaling the end of maple sugaring and also the beginning of the flight of honey bees as they gather nectar and pollen from the same trees that syrup was made from. The colonies of bees that have mite resistant queens and where organic practices are followed continue to come out of the winter stronger. In the season of abundant dandelion flowers for the bees, we have been splitting the surviving colonies, which makes up for the winter loss. We are encouraging them to raise their own queens this year and support their health with organic mite procedures. Last week, the colonies of honey bees were moved out of the apple orchards. Another sign of Spring is the lone queen bumble bee flying from flower to flower, gathering nectar and pollen to feed and start their new families. The bumble bees often have more muscles and are larger than honey bees, and can thus fly in the cooler temperatures of Spring. They are native pollinators and social like honey bees; the bumble bees are also a critical piece of our ecosystem and like honey bees, they are at risk. You can find out more, including how to help them, at the Bumblebee Conservation Trust http://www.bumblebeeconservationtrust.co.uk/
Thank you for your support of the bees, plant medicine, and those that work in agriculture. We have been showing Jan Cannon’s film Health & the Hive around the region @ libraries, cooperatives, and bee meetings.
The new crop of raw orange blossom honey will be at the honey house within two weeks. We are now offering the 2007 crystallized crop; honey will keep for up to 4,000 years. We are making a new product in support of men's prostates, with raw palmetto honey from the Zolfo Spring, Florida honey house, palmetto berries and organic herbs grown by Zack Woods Herb Farm in Hyde Park, Vermont. For dried and fresh bulk herbs: www.zackwoodsherbs.com The honey bees will be moving in to pollinate the blueberries soon, and by mid-July, we will know if there will be a crop. video: Honey May Help Fight Infection Doctors at Georgetown University Hospital have found a sweet solution for treating patients with tough-to-cure skin infections. support for health care practitioners with plant medicine |
|
Spring 2008 Health & the Hive: A Beekeeper's Journey ~ a new film
Environmental filmmaker Jan Cannon has spent many days of the last two years with the crew of Honey Gardens, in the field with the bees, moving through the seasons with the bees, filming as we were making plant medicine, talking with and gathering footage of our team of queen breeders, bee venom therapist, vegetable and dairy farmers. His film is all about the teamwork that makes this work possible, and it documents the changes in our work at Honey Gardens. We are grateful to Jan for his heartfelt film on the bees and Honey Gardens.This cross pollination, this team, has inspired us, and given us the strength to carry on. Health & the Hive: A Beekeeper's Journey explores the importance of honeybees in our lives and the many health benefits that come from the beehive. The film considers the current state of the bees and suggests approaches to beekeeping and agriculture that would improve the outlook for bees and the humans who rely on them. Some of the topics addressed in the film are pollination, queen breeding, disease control, bee venom therapy, organic agriculture and honey based plant medicine. This film is 53 minutes and is available here.
Thank you for your support of the bees, plant medicine, and those that work in agriculture.
Honey Can Soothe a Burn Home remedies for soothing mild burns run the gamut, from aloe vera gel to butter. Most that have been around for ages are clearly bad ideas. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that applying butter or various popular ointments, for example, can increase the risk of infection. But at least one remedy, honey, has held up well… Bee Pollen Beats Vitamin Pills (NaturalNews) Bee pollen is often referred to as nature's most complete food. Pollen harvested from a diverse selection of geographic areas contains all the essential components of life in a good tasting, chewable, easily digested, and highly bio-available form that can be consumed by anyone from young children to the very old. All the nutritive and rejuvenating elements contained in expensive, whole food vitamin pills can be found in bee pollen. But since these elements are crafted into the most super of superfoods by nature, they have the added benefits of perfect synergy. Pollen also offers healing, with interesting research studies documenting its medicinal effects… |
|
February 2008 The Common Language of Agriculture
The name of the Mapuche community was first given to me by Facundo, the gaucho with whom I had just spent a month and half riding across Argentina with, over 800 miles in 40 days. I wrote to the community leader, the shaman, to ask if I could come spend a week or so with his people. He wrote back that although he was happy to hear that I had spent time with other Mapuche communities, he was not interested in having a white girl from the US come disrupt the daily on-goings of his people. And I thought that was the end of our correspondence. A couple of days went by and I received another message from the shaman. This time he wrote that he had a dream about a white outsider, a girl, coming to his people, bringing something important. He wrote to ask me if I was this white girl, and to ask what I thought I was bringing. At this point in my journey through South America, I had seen many white people traveling, thinking that they were spreading something precious, bringing foreign, educated thought to rural, poor communities. I wrote back, telling him that I was not here to be oppressive or to educate other people. I was here to learn, to observe, to make connections, and to educate myself. I told him that I was interested in agriculture, in farming, in creating wholesome connections, and fruitful relationships. I told him that I had grown up beekeeping with my dad. Instead of sending me a message in reply, he sent me three horses. One horse to carry Juan who would lead me through the mountains back to their community, one horse for me to ride, and one horse for the box of bees that I was asked to bring and share with their community. At first they were silent. I worked next to them in the fields. I sat with them at their fires. I ate with them. I slept on horse blankets in between their bodies. And each day at four, after everyone was done working in the fields, they would gather around me and I would try and teach them about bees. They didn't speak English, and I didn't speak their native tongue, but somewhere, using Spanish as a middle ground and many hand gestures, we found a compromise. And then one day a child invited me to play a ball game with a group of her friends. And somehow, as soon as this one girl overcame her skepticism and opened up her world to me, so did the rest of the community. Suddenly I realized that many more of them could speak Spanish then they had first let on. Suddenly they were extremely curious about where I had come from, and what my world was made up of. Suddenly I could ask them all the questions that had been building in my mind about their farming techniques, culture, and history. After about a week and a half I had to continue on with my journey. It was an overwhelming goodbye. Everyone in the community wanted to give me something. A piece of ribbon, a fork, a dried flower, a rock…anything to remember them by. It was hard for me to accept anything from them- they came from a world with so little, and I came from so much, yet to refuse would have been an insult. Looking back, I wish that I had brought something more than a boxful of bees. I said this to the shaman. He looked at me slowly and replied that I had given them so much more. He told me that I was the first outsider to ever come spend time with them, and that I had opened up their eyes to other ideas and thoughts. I tried to tell him how much they had given me in knowledge. I tried to show him how much I had learned about new farming ideas, permaculture designs, sword fighting, killing and gutting a sheep and then being able to use or compost every piece of that animal, and many other things. But he merely brushed aside my words with a smile, and slapped the rump of my horse to send me on my way. As I continue to travel the world, I have come to realize the power of the land. The land is a common language that many understand. It is the form of communication that many times I have fallen back on when words seem to not suffice. And through my journeys and experiences, bees seem to help me build powerful connections whether it is with my colleagues at Colorado College, my neighbors in Vermont, or my newfound friends in South America. Thank you, bees!
Honey Gardens is sending a computer to this community of Mapuche. The Mapuche and other indigenous people around the world are being pushed off their land by the government and other groups of people. The Mapuche people have peacefully occupied their land for generations and generations, and many of them do not own deeds to that land. Even those who have deeds to land are intimated by the government, due to a very bloody past history. So when the local police officer puts up a fence on 100 hectares of their land, the Mapuche are afraid and unsure of how to act – they quietly submit to this treatment. We are helping them get a computer so that they can make contact with other communities around Argentina. There is a power behind numbers and organization. We are also helping them get a computer so that they can create a market for their goods in the US. Currently the government restricts the price that they can sell their woven goods for, and thus after a week’s worth of weaving, they receive about enough money to buy a half a week’s worth of food, not enough to sustain a person, let alone a family. We are helping them get this computer, to help them create communication, to help them make a network. We are grateful for your support which helps to make this happen. 10% of each order of product from this newsletter will be sent to the Mapuche to help them buy tools for their farming. You may also contribute to this fund by sending a direct contribution in the mail or calling Honey Gardens. All of these funds will be sent to the Mapuche with deepest appreciation. We thank you for your support of those who live on the land in the Americas, North and South, nurturing relationships built on mutual trust and respect. for an honest look at the truth of what is really going on with the people and land of South and Central America: http://www.upsidedownworld.org/ Honey and Cancer, Dental Health, Gastric Disorders, Wound Healing Literature Review of Honey and Health Benefits …Cancer: Human trials based on approximately 125 subjects in two well designed studies and two clinical trials using varied dosages of honey demonstrated positive effects on antioxidant potential for the prevention of cancer and as a beneficial aid in the treatment of cancer. Only one animal study was found using in vitro and in vivo as the experimental design. It looked at the anti-tumor effects of honey against bladder cancer in mice. There were no cell culture studies reported for honey and cancer… A Comparative Evaluation of the Anticancer Properties of European and American Elderberry Fruits by Thole, et al., published in the Journal of Medicinal Food, 2006 some thoughts from Ross Conrad’s talk at the honey house on January 20, 2008, focusing on the practical ways we may help the bees this season (as we work with them organically) Honey Gardens now has a special program to support health care practioniers with plant medicine. |
|
January 2008 The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.
We are having a gathering here on Saturday January 19, and we invite you to join us. The winter meeting of the Champlain Valley Honey Bee Cooperative is at 4:30 PM at the honey house, with a pot blessing dinner at 5 PM, and at 6 PM Ross Conrad will speak on the subject of his book, "Natural Beekeeping: Organic Approaches to Modern Apiculture", Colony Collapse Disorder: the current state of beekeeping and organic solutions. Ross will talk about the alternatives to chemical practices. He has worked with Charles Mraz, the Vermont pioneer in beekeeping and bee venom therapy. This gathering is significant for honey bees and is typical of people all around the country coming together to collaborate on how to take care of the bees. As honey bees do not know political borders, the support of beekeeping spans people of all ages; we know that high school students to those in the retirement community to commercial beekeepers working with 1,500 colonies are coming on Saturday. Around the turn of the century, people had a hive or two on their land just as they have animals or chickens now. This de-centralized hobby level of beekeeping is good for the bees. Organic policies are more apt to be followed, innovations pursued, and a strong mutual relationship develops. It is true that beekeeping is a challenge these days ~ after you get started, you will probably lose them after some winters. While a hive and equipment is an investment, the return is even greater – gallons of honey and also wax, pollen, and propolis if you gather these. Working with the bees is great exercise, and allows you to be outside and close to the land. Most learn to let go of the gloves and allow a few bee stings now and then. This is one of the strong anti-cancer programs one can be a part of; the bee sting is very good for you (if you are not allergic; seek advice first).
We have learned from the bees that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts; the bee hive is a model community, all working together for the common good. The worker bees go through a process of cross training and working for three or so days in every job in the hive, each directed to their survival and success of the family, such as gathering nectar, pollen or propolis, making beeswax from honey, guarding the hive from the aggressive cousins (wasps & hornets), feeding the queen, and other duties. As we work with the bees to be their stewards, they bless us with the pollination of much of what we eat. The interest in communities working together to help the bees and neighbor teaching neighbor has never been more vibrant. We are all stronger by working together. The light is returning. As the days get longer with more sunny minutes, the queen bees are laying more eggs and helping to prepare her families for the Spring that is coming. Thank you for your support for the bees, plant medicine, and those that work in agriculture. Future Directions for Honey Research by Ronald Fessenden, MD, MPH Presented at the 1st International Symposium on Honey and Human Health, January 8, 2008, in Sacramento, Calif. http://apitherapy.blogspot.com/2008/01/future-directions-for-honey-research.html Most Promising Categories of Research • Restorative Sleep • Immune System Enhancement Honey Gardens now has a special program to support health care practitioners with plant medicine. |
|
December 2007 our youth as the next caretakers of the honey bees
While I have only logged a few hours with the bees at the hives in my young beekeeping career, my entire understanding of bees and everything that has to do with them is growing exponentially. Before walking into Honey Gardens this summer, simply looking for a summer job, I knew very little about bees and frankly didn’t really care to learn much about them. As time went on, bottling countless pounds of honey, I was able to observe the bees that had wandered into the honey house. After being frightened of the bees, I realized that I had been working at Honey Gardens, with thousands of bees, for about a month and I hadn’t been stung. Through my observations I noticed how gentle, calm, and even how cute the bees were. How could something so much smaller then myself ever frighten me? I was in love with the bees. I would preach to everyone I knew about how gentle the bees are and how important they are for just about everything. I wanted to start working in close quarters with the bees and I got the chance from my teacher, Matt Schlein, founder and director of the Willowell Foundation (www.willowell.org) . One of their projects, Walden project is a program coming out of the Vergennes Union High School based on the teachings of Henry David Thoreau. It is a program for kids who want to direct their own education while learning outside of the building and in the woods. Through an independent study and a land-based project for my ecology class I was able to choose to learn about the art of beekeeping from the bee hives on the land of my school. At this point my project has composed of giving the bees organic medicine, observing the bees, winterizing the hives, basic bee research, and working at Honey Gardens. My beekeeping career and work at Honey Gardens has taught me a lot about life, business, agriculture, and myself. Since learning the importance of bees in Vermont and the rest of the world, I feel I care for the bees as I care for some of the most important things in my life. After learning the power of the raw honey it was such a great experience extracting honey from our very own Walden bees. Taking a fully capped frame and scooping a spoon right into the freshest honey possible was so fulfilling for me. I am thankful for this life changing opportunity from Honey Gardens and for the Walden Project for making it happen; I am especially thankful for the bees and the work they do. Joseph Chugg A core value of Honey Garden’s mission is to share the honey bees with youth. We believe that this has been mutually beneficial; agricultural is very labor intensive, and the help of our youth over the years of working with the bees and bottling honey is significant. At the same time, they have learned about the value of pollination, the web of the natural world and the delicate balance our earth is now in. It is a blessing when our student workers go off to college, start beekeeping clubs, and continue to raise honey bees on their own. One of these helpers made an appointment with the college president, gave her presentation for a new beekeeping project on the school land, and he was so inspired that he walked over to his desk, pulled out his checkbook and funded the project on the spot. The honey crop in the northeast was light in volume this season, due to a drought and ongoing challenges to the health of the bees. With the dry conditions, the color of much of the honey was darker. At Honey Gardens, we are grateful to continue our diversification into plant medicine and honey wine. Thank you for asking for our elderberry syrup at your local stores and co-ops; this makes a huge difference. Raw honey, organic elderberry, organic apple cider vinegar, and propolis are effective allies to fight the common cold. Around the honey house, the snow has now covered the nectar and pollen plants, providing insulation protection, fertilizer, and water for the coming season. Next week, after the solstice, more light will return to the earth each day, and the queen bees will start to lay more eggs. Thank you for all of your support of the bees, plant medicine, and those who work in agriculture. Honey a Better Option for Childhood Cough than Over the Counter Medications Science Daily, 12/4/2007 http://apitherapy.blogspot.com/2007/12/honey-better-option-for-childhood-cough.html A new study by a Penn State College of Medicine research team found that honey may offer parents an effective and safe alternative than over the counter children's cough medicines… Video: Bee Sting 'Cures Pain' http://apitherapy.blogspot.com/2007/12/video-bee-sting-cures-pain.html Doctors in Beijing believe they have found a cure for rheumatism, arthritis, back pain, and even a way to improve liver problems and cancers.It is called bee venom therapy, part of Apitherapy…
|
|
November 2007 Expectations and the truth of life
Expectations are such a double edged sword. You have to have them since that's what keeps us looking ahead, but it is so difficult when fate intervenes and alters our plans. I became a beekeeper quite suddenly around this time last fall when a dear friend of mine, a brother, gave me two colonies of honey bees. I had never really considered keeping bees before and this started an entirely new journey for me filled with expectations. I loved those bees. I enjoyed wrapping them up for the winter and checking on them so often. They were a new part of me as I cleared snow from their entrance and took such delight seeing an occasional bee flying out and then back into the hive during a sunny winter day. We were going to have a long and mutually productive relationship. I knew it. I expected it. I spent many a winter evening in the basement building honey supers and frames, reading my bee keeping books and looking forward to the activities of these wonderful bees come spring and summer. Then came spring and I noticed there weren't as many bees around as I expected. What happened? I did everything I could, didn't I? They should be happy & thriving. For reasons beyond my control, these bees didn't survive the winter. This is not uncommon as we have all learned, but it was still sad. I had grand hopes and expectations. My friend knew all too well how I must have been feeling and provided me with two more colonies of bees. This was a blessing, considering how unfortunate I felt after losing my original two colonies. This was going to be great. I was back as a beekeeper. It was spring, flowers were blossoming, and I was seeing honey bees everywhere. My expectations were back. I WAS going to be a successful beekeeper. I so loved watching the girls fly back to the hive with their pollen baskets full of the different colors of cargo. I spent time with my friend, watching & observing his skill, methods and love as he cared for his bees. I went to the Vermont Beekeepers' lessons and observed how others cared for and loved the bees. I was back in the game; I expected lots from my bees with my new borne knowledge and the history of losing my last colonies. Then, later in the summer, my bees were diagnosed with American Foulbrood, a seriously contagious disease to honey bees. The only remedy to prevent the spread of this disease to other bees is to destroy the colony and burn the hives. My bees, flying in from the field with their pollen sacs filled with goldenrod pollen, had to die. And much of my past winter's work of building frames in the basement had to be burned to prevent further spread of this horrible disease. Once again, my expectations were shattered. Before they passed on, my bees gave me a lot of honey - 100+ lbs. I am so appreciative for their work and think of them every morning as I take my spoonful of honey or when I give a jar or two of honey away. They gave me everything they could. My friend has pledged to give me two more colonies and I am grateful. He has helped me to not give up on the bees. They are a part of me now and will continue to be as long as I live here. The bees have sent me a message that I needed to hear. The relationships that I build in this life, whether it is with honey bees or any other on this earth, comes with my own expectations and I truly need to work on letting such pre-conditions go. I often like to think that I am in control of such outcomes and the bees have taught me to loosen my grip a bit. I believe that the Great Mother is in control. My purpose here on this planet is for my diligence, my love, my prayers and my acceptance in believing that there is a higher power looking after things. This doesn't mean that the bees are on their own. We, as beekeepers, have to be there to help them through their difficult times, especially as of late. But it does mean, at least to me, that it is not so much about me and my expectations. Bless the bees.
Honey and Medicine: Past, Present and Future P C Molan, Professor of Biological Sciences and Director of the Honey Research Unit University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand http://apitherapy.blogspot.com/2007/10/honey-and-medicine-past-present-and.html [Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series of abstracts from the 1st International Conference on the Medicinal Uses of Honey (From Hive to Therapy) held by Universiti Sains Malaysia in August of 2006. The abstracts have been published by the Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences (Vol.14 No.1, January 2007).] …”It is predicted that in the future it will be widely used prophylactically to prevent infection of patients with “superbugs” in hospitals, and will come into use as standard treatment for: leprosy; for all surgical wounds to prevent infection, prevent scarring, and speed healing; for burns, to prevent infection and prevent further damage to tissues caused by inflammation resulting from the thermal damage; to minimise burning from radiotherapy for cancer; to minimise effects on the gut of chemotherapy for cancer; and will be fully accepted by the medical profession as a legitimate modern medicine.” Study: Honey Could Play ‘Important Role’ in Preventing Cell Damage Influence of Honey on the Suppression of Human Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) Peroxidation (In vitro) Evidence-based Compl. and Alt. Medicine, 10/18/2007 http://apitherapy.blogspot.com/2007/11/study-honey-could-play-important-role.html …”Our study provides (for the first time) primary evidence suggesting that these honeys in further in vivo studies could play an important role in inhibiting lipid peroxidation in biological systems through their antioxidant, metal chelating and free radical scavenging activities…” |
|
October 2007 to everything there is a season
For a long time I have been curious about the bees. I was struck by their beauty and the way they worked so harmoniously and efficiently together. The great thing about being a filmmaker is that when you get interested in something, and want to learn more about it, you can make a film. I started filming in the spring of 2006 and am nearly finished. In the process of doing the film I have gotten four beehives of my own. In getting to know the bees I have found that I have an emotional feeling for them, which surprised me. I hadn’t imagined that you could feel for an insect as you might a cat or dog. I really love the little creatures. The bees have also helped me get closer to nature. I am always wondering how the heat or cold, or rain or dryness is affecting them. I am more aware of what is flowering and where the bees are going. I love to sit at the hive and watch the bees landing with their pollen filled baskets. I love their little navigational dances at the hive entrances, where they guide their sister bees to nectar and pollen sources. I have also observed that since getting bees we have gotten more green beans than ever before. We also saw a lot of bees on the raspberry flowers and had a great crop. The apple trees in the orchard across the street from our house are loaded with fruit. The trees were roaring with bees when they were in flower this spring. I don’t know if these increased yields are a consequence of the bees or just good weather conditions this summer but I am keeping my eye on it. I have also learned a lot about the health benefits of bees and in addition to raw honey, pollen and propolis I have really benefited from bee stings! When I started my film I had tendonitis in my elbow and a sore shoulder. Since having been stung numerous times, on purpose or not, I am pain free. My introduction to the bees has been rich beyond expectation and I thank Honey Gardens for their guidance along this path. I hope that through my film you too may feel some of what I have experienced.
Jan is interested in recording the voices of sustainable living. He observes that many people still do not understand that our earth’s resources are limited and that our over-consumption has seriously negative consequences. some pieces of the film Jan is making on bees: some of our time with the bees and on the land Meriwether, a next generation of beekeeper
Fresh pollen is a source of energy and nutrition. Because of its tough shell, only 30% of the value may be utilized if pollen is eaten straight out of the bag. If you let it sit for 10 minutes in your oatmeal, orange juice, smoothie or other liquid, a much greater value may be gained. We thank you for your support of the bees, plants and those who work in agriculture.
Study: Honey Could Target Age-Related Memory Decline, Anxiety Honey Linked to Delayed Ageing. In The News (UK), 9/13/2007 Honey could be used to target age-related problems including memory decline, scientists have discovered. Studies on mice found that those on diets including honey had better spatial memory and were less anxious. The researchers propose that honey may improve memory due to its antioxidant properties, which help to prevent free radicals damaging cells in the body… Honey Antioxidants May Lower Risk of Atherosclerosis, Diabetes, Cancer Antioxidant and Radical Scavenging Activity of Honey in Endothelial Cell Cultures Planta Medica, 2007 Sep 7 …These results provide unequivocal evidence that, through the synergistic action of its antioxidants, honey by reducing and removing ROS, may lower the risks and effects of acute and chronic free radical induced pathologies IN VIVO. |
|
Nectar and Pollen Plants of the Champlain Valley, Vermont,
Friday, August 31, 2007
Late
Summer Gold
The flow is
on
Here at Thistle Hill in New Haven, Vermont, we spent the weekend watching the
bees' incredible activity as they worked the beginning of the bloom of the last
big nectar and pollen plant of the season -- goldenrod. Huge gobs of bright
orange pollen in their baskets as they came in for landings.... We lay on the
ground next to the hive entrance and smelled the heavy aroma of goldenrod honey
that wafted on the airflow caused by many bees fanning their wings on the
landing board.
Preparing for the elderberry/sureau harvest August 23, 2007 “The birds have always been there. So we decided to share the sureau/elderberry; it is good food for them. We know that we lose 10 – 15% of the crop to them, around 3,000 lb. of elderberry. They usually only take the top; they do not touch the rest. An average bush will have about 10 lb., and the birds will get around a pound, pound and a half. After we de-stem the elderberry, we take the stems and put them in the woods where the deer get them. To preserve the crop, we do not have a choice but to put up an electric fence for the deer; they would eat half the crop or more. We were inspected one week ago, and they accepted our application for organic certification; we went though a three year trial and are now fully certified organic. The manure that is used to fertilized the elderberry is organic. It is a good year; the elderberry are bending over and the branches touch the ground. I have to go and cut some branches so that the elderberries will come up. Near the ground, there is too much humidity and diseases. Right now, the berries still have a week and a half to mature. Then we will begin the harvest in the first week of September.” Sylvain Mercier Elderberries are amazing. They are both delicious and a powerful remedy at the same time. Their purple color comes from anthocyanins.They are in the well known family of "antioxidants". Elderberries have been used for centuries for a lot of health issues. Among some of the most known and acknowledged medicinal properties, they are excellent against viral infections and they help stimulate the immune system . They are rich in Vitamin C, A and magnesium. Like most berries, they have anti cancer properties. Recent research also shows that elderberry syrup is beneficial for diabetic people because it helps increase insulin secretion which will improve sugar absorption. So it is a great tool in one's natural pharmacy. Good for the common cold, the flu, building the immune system and helps against diabetes. Jacinthe Desmarais, Doctor of Chiropractic, Doctor of Osteopathic, Canada www.elderberries.ca www.sureau.ca from Apitherapy News: Study: Propolis Extract May Help Prevent Prostate Cancer Antiproliferation of Human Prostate Cancer Cells By Ethanolic Extracts Of Brazilian Propolis And Its Botanical Origin International Journal of Oncology, 2007 Sep;31(3):601-6 http://apitherapy.blogspot.com/2007/08/propolis-extract-may-help-prevent.html Propolis is a resinous substance collected by bees (Apis mellifera) from various tree buds which they then use to coat hive parts and to seal cracks and crevices in the hive. Propolis, a known ancient folk medicine, has been extensively used in diet to improve health and to prevent disease… Our results indicate that the Brazilian propolis extracts show promise as chemotherapeutic agents as well as preventive agents against prostate cancer. |
August 2007 the new honey crop is in ! Wherever you go, the land tells a story. The early honey is darker this year. Some feel it is because the bees did not get nectar from the basswood tree flowers, which would have made the honey lighter. This is a result of weather and timing of nature. Where there are bees and pollinating insects, more fruit was set from the pollination. Much of the fruit is smaller because of the weeks of drought. The bees made honey early this season, and then as the land and the plants dried up, the nectar also dried up for the last three or so weeks. The leaves of the corn are curling up, to protect the plant from losing more water on the hot, sunny, dry summer days. The arrival of the new crop always feels like a miracle. We have all sizes of northern raw honey in the honey house, and we are also shipping raw wild Maine blueberry honey, which our friends’ bees made on the blueberry barrens of northern Maine in June. This honey is darker, reminiscent of the color of wild blueberries. It is rare for the bees to make “surplus” or honey for extraction as the flowers are smaller than the bees, and they use most of the nectar for feeding their own families in the hives while in the blueberry fields for the month. The bees fill their honey comb in the lower boxes first, where they rear their brood and store food for the year. Beekeepers only take the top boxes or “supers” when they are full. We are seeing the honey bees in Vermont and New York State strong and independent of the CCD/Colony Collapse Disorder that is killing bees elsewhere in the country. Most of the beekeeping in our region is organic, and as chemicals are not used on the bees, they are stronger and healthier. Many beekeepers in this area have been raising queen bees from their survivors, and this is one of the most effective ways to help the bees organically. It is encouraging to see many new beekeepers throughout the land. Annemie Curlin is taking care of her first colonies of honey bees this season. I think that the bees recognized her long support of their community, as one of her hives has made the most honey in the two states and one province in this region so far this season. Annemie blessed us with the landscape drawing on the Honey Gardens’ logo/labels years ago, and is now helping with the graphics on our honey wine labels. We appreciate your support of the bees and plants
“My first objective was to help pollinate the fruit trees. Also, I wanted to enrich the animal and plant cycle; by introducing honey bees, I added an additional beneficial element to the garden and nature around here. Another thought was the aesthetic and long cultural connections; beehives are ubiquitous in Europe where I grew up, not only in the landscape, but in the folklore, the stories, and cultural consciousness… bees and bee hives. …. and finally there was a personal connection to my grandfather Alois Schuh, who had an orchard, rose trees, and bee hives. He knew how to do all of these things, to take care of them and to make them flourish. I see the bees among my flowers; I feel that it makes my garden richer and more alive. A lot of my other interactions with animals are adversarial; I try and protect the fruit trees from deer, the plants from insects, it can be a battle; with bees, it is mutually beneficial, I am happy to see them. We help each other; I plant flowers, which they like, they flourish and then give honey.” Propolis Extract May Help Protect Skin from UVB Damage, International Journal of Pharmaceutics, Article in Press Mead: our organic blueberry and organic black currant honey wine will be available in many Vermont stores and the honey house by the end of August. Melissa, our mead/honey wines available at more stores and co-ops in Vermont, including the Brattleboro & Putney Food Co-ops. check the new Honey Gardens Store Finder click here Honey Gardens Apitherapy raw honey and herbal supplements are carried at many natural food stores and co-ops around the country. Please let us know if there is a store we should add to the database, or if you would like us to contact your local store about carrying our products. |
Summer 2007What do the plants teach us?Plants are an endless source of wisdom. They are my most patient as well as most persistent teachers. 99% of all living organisms on this planet are plants! That number always astounds me, and I am reminded of our most basic relationship with the plant world. Our constant exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide ensures our survival on this planet. Outside the honey house now everything is a brilliant green, the color associated with our heart chakra. When this chakra is open, we are able to give and receive the gifts of love, gratitude and appreciation. It is interesting as well that out of the four elements (earth, air, fire & water), the one that corresponds with the heart chakra is air or breath. When out in nature among the plants, I am reminded that our breath and our hearts are intimately connected, as we are to the plant world. This helps me remember to slow down, have patience, and open my heart. A well known and respected herbalist once told me that when she visits clients for a consultation, the first thing she does is take a walk around the property on which they live to see what plants are growing. And amazingly enough, nine times out ten these plants are exactly what the client needs. One of my overall examples of a teaching plant is the dandelion. Dandelions persistence is remarkable. No matter how much effort people put into trying to eradicate this little yellow flowers from their lawns and gardens, the dandelion pops up everywhere, in cities and suburbs, between flower beds and between sidewalk cracks. Dandelion perseveres. As well as being a tremendous source of nectar for the honey bee, this flower has extremely important medicinal use in our modern culture. Dandelion is one of the most effective detoxifying herbs we have, assisting our livers in processing the overwhelming levels of pollution and toxins that surround us everyday. The flower essence of dandelion has specific uses as well for people today; this is for those people constantly on the go, helping people slow down, release tension and find balance in their lives.
Dandelion is not unique. The healing gifts of so many plants are amazing and endless. I was reading recently about a process called Phytoremediation, which according to the Wikipedia dictionary is the ability of plants to de-pollute contaminated soils, water or air by “containing, degrading or eliminating metals, pesticides, solvents, explosives, crude oil and its derivatives, from the mediums that contain them.” I find this information fascinating. I am reminded again how amazing giving plants are to the planet itself, and I am inspired to give what I can back to her as well. I also realize that for those of us who are making efforts to live more sustainably and trying to help bring the earth back into balance; we are not alone, the whole plant world is here supporting us. The quote from Chief Seattle “Man did not weave the web of life; he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself’” echoes in my mind, remind me that plants inherently live in a cohesive balance with all of life; it is time for us to do the same. Recently at our father’s service, I read some lines from Deuteronomy 32:13: He nourished him with honey from the rock …. In the early days, bees made their homes in rocky places, and sometimes the honey would ooze out when the rocks got hot. Out of the hard times, we are given sweetness. I recall the 22 hour drives from Georgia to the north a few years ago when Tom was my driving partner, driving the bees though the night to keep them cool and living. His encouragement for many years will always be so clearly felt. We hope you are having a good summer and appreciate your support of the bees and plants. check the new Honey Gardens Store Finder click here Honey Gardens Apitherapy raw honey and herbal supplements are carried at many natural food stores and co-ops around the country. Please let us know if there is a store we should add to the database, or if you would like us to contact your local store about carrying our products. Melissa, our mead/honey wines available at more stores and co-ops in Vermont, including the Brattleboro & Putney Food Co-ops. |
April 2007 A vital part of Honey Gardens has always been to share all we do with our youth. Over the years we have valued their work at the honey house and in the field. At a time when the land, air and water are under great stress as our country has gotten off track with the priorities necessary to protect what we cherish, many of them are preparing to be gentle warriors to work in these fields. They know the importance of the pollinating insects to our food supply. There are two pieces below by beekeepers who will be taking care of the honey bees and helping them get though these difficult times ~ Mackenzie is about to graduate from high school and Meriwether, 20, has helped in the honey house for many seasons. Thank you for helping us pass along these skills of life & agriculture to our children.
"Life is the flower for which love is the honey." I pull the white suit over my head, the sweet, musky smell enveloping me. I shove my feet into the cold rubber boots and stuff the matches in my pocket. Balancing the equipment on a wooden board, I waddle out into the field, the wet grass seeping through a hole in my boot. I zip the net over my head and face the white boxes, awaiting today's lesson. The bees teach me, everyday, that the nectar in life is achieved through intense focus, commitment, dedication to sustainable and nurturing communities, and the willingness to take risks. I had never really thought about beekeeping until my sophomore year of high school when my history teacher, Bill Mares brought a live queen bee to class in a small wooden box. I watched its small body through the mesh covering and wondered what its life must be like. So, what drew me to beekeeping? I had not even seen a hive yet. I guess it was the sweet-tasting golden joy that coated my oatmeal and toast. I had loved honey, and now I loved it even more because of my respect for the bees. I just looked down at my toast and thought of all the mystery that surrounded the hive. I wanted to be in the “in” group, to know where this sweet tasting delight came from. However, it was more than that. In an ever changing world the bees are what hold us together. They are the most supportive structure in our lives, and they fly by unseen. Honeybees are responsible for approximately 80% of all fruit, vegetable and seed crops in the U.S and that is approximately every third bite of food one eats. They are the joy and the nectar in our life. I got my first hive on July 16th, 2006. It was a generous gift from Russ Aceto, a published and two year senior beekeeper up in Fairfax, Vermont. It was a hot and humid day and the bees hummed uncomfortably as we slid the covered nuc box into the trunk of my Subaru. I had never driven with bees in the back seat and sweat dripped off the end of my nose. They were all boarded up with mesh netting that we had stapled down over their hive opening, but I still feared that an unexpected bump in the road would cause them to tip over and spill inside the car. I wondered if the bees minded the radio, anyway it calmed me down and drowned out the humming. Arriving home we had to find the ideal site. It had to be somewhere away from or above the road, so the colonies would not be drained into or washed out. A northern windbreak (like a stand of trees, bushes, wood pile) would protect the hives from winter weather and keep them cool in the hot noon sun. They also needed fresh water and pesticide free crops (within their 2 mile/ 2,009.6 acre range). "A beautiful bee yard is a sacred place, often a cathedral of trees and plants nourished by years and relationships with generations of families that allow bees on a special place on their land," wrote Todd Hardie. Walking through our front yard we found a perfect spot, tucked away next to a bush, but with plenty of morning sunlight available. We hauled them across the lawn and set them up on a stand (a piece of our old porch) so that the hive did not get damp. I had painted the hive boxes with house paint to make them weather resistant, but the stand kept the bottom from rotting. It also was necessary in preventing ants and other insects from directly entering the hive to steal honey.
All in all, the season went pretty smoothly, excluding getting a bloody nose the first time in the bee suit (with my mentor Mr. Mares watching) and the time I almost caught the hive on fire with the explosive smoker. As the days got colder the bees started to slow down and bundle up together creating a swarming mustache of moving bodies. Aceto showed me a new technique he had developed for 'winterizing' the bee hive so that there was no moisture build up. The bees were all bundled up in the field by the first snow, but their summer's effort lingered sweetly in our mouths. When we are in risky situations we often use force, but that does not work with the bees. Working with the bees has taught me that what the world really needs is compassion, respect and awareness. I am willing to risk exploring the unknown so I can be a part of the solution and not react to the world from a place of fear. As I pull the white suit over my head, I realize I cannot pretend that social, environmental or economical problems do not exist, but I can arm myself with knowledge, dreams and hope. I can add my teaspoon of honey to the future.
|
