As the summer months draw to a close and the days begin to cool, we’re excited to announce that our annual honey harvest is just around the corner!
Our honey is “Raw honey”, it is unfiltered and unpasteurized, meaning it retains its natural enzymes, antioxidants, and beneficial compounds.
Our bees have been busy all season long, collecting nectar from wildflowers, neighbouring gardens, our flower and vegetable gardens and from trees that surround our farm. Did you know that honey bees can cover a radius of up to 8kms from their hive, although they often focus on areas within a 4kms radius due to the availability of what is available at the time. The result, is a rich golden raw honey that’s as pure as it is delicious. We can’t wait to share this year’s harvest with you!
A few days before harvest, our beekeeper Paul and Brennan inspected the hives to ensure the honey is ready. The frames need to be at least 80% capped, indicating the bees have finished transforming the watery nectar into honey with less than 18% water content. Harvesting too early can result in honey with a higher water content, which may spoil.
At this time it is also important to ensure the bees have enough honey for the winter. Some honey must be left behind for them to consume during the colder months. Without enough food, the bees risk starving and freezing over the winter.
If the frames are full, then it’s time to begin the process!
Separating the Bees from the Honey
Paul places bee escapes (triangle shape in picture below) between the honey supers and the brood boxes. As the temperature drops at night, the bees move through the escape and descend into the hive to form a cluster. By morning, they are unable to return to the supers, leaving the honey supers free of bees.
The next day Paul removed the Honey supers from the hives and brought them into our kitchen–where the honey extraction will take place.
In part two (an upcoming blog entry), we will share the next steps, how we extract the honey, stay tuned!
Honey isn’t just for drizzling on toast or sweetening your tea—it’s also a fantastic ingredient to use in your cooking. In the upcoming weeks, Brennan will have a few recipes that highlight the natural sweetness of our farm-fresh raw honey to share with you all.
As we gear up to harvest our honey, we invite you to share the news with your friends and family. Whether they’re seasoned honey enthusiasts or new to the joys of farm-fresh produce, there’s something truly special about savoring the fruits of a local harvest.
We’re excited to announce that raw honey will be available as an add-on to our farm baskets starting September 29th! Stay tuned!
Let’s celebrate the season with delicious, raw honey straight from our beeyard to your table!
Paul
Little Farm Cart’s Beekeeper!