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Sarah D

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 2584

Posted: Sun Jan 15, 06 1:25 pm Post subject:
It's fairly strong flavoured and a good colour - not too pale. Have had excellent reports from all who were given/bartered with on it, so that's encouraging. I just hope the bees are making it through the winter - it's been cold and damp down here

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Sun Jan 15, 06 2:42 pm Post subject:

I love my garden bees - the bumble bees are so friendly with their furry little bodies, as they buzz round my foxgloves and campanula. Just the buzz is lovely company.

Do you ever swap honey for sugar in baking, Sarah? I'm sure you can, but I've never found out if you just swap it for the same weight of honey. I've got gallons of the stuff from when we went to the Sierra Nevada, and got carried away buying all different types.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Sun Jan 15, 06 2:54 pm Post subject:
Just noticed that a pound of honey seems to be retailing at about 2.50 in watirose, so Sarah's hive 'made' £95 this year. I'm not suggesting that it's there to make money rather than honey, but your investment might start paying off quicker than you'd think.

Sarah D

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 2584

Posted: Sun Jan 15, 06 7:50 pm Post subject:

Yes, it's for honey, rather than money, but the jars I did sell I sold to very happy reipients at 3.00 per jar. It's ahrd work actually extrracting, and still a reasonable price for such a high quality product that couldn't be much more local.

I use honey in baking, but it's not swapped weight for weight; you need less honey that you would think, due to the sweetness being more concentrated than you think. It makes a very good cake with some cider added. The best sources of recipes seem to be 1970s hippy wholefood natural cookiery books, which are wonderful. My favourite is one I bought from e-bay which is hadnwritten and illustrated, very much a book of its time.

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Sun Jan 15, 06 10:55 pm Post subject:
Any idea of a rough rule of thumb (I'll perhaps start with halving it, and go from there) and any chance of the honey and cider cake recipe? That does sound good! the bit that made me laugh most in scenes from a smallholding was the descriptions of different types of stickiness in extracting honey. Honey always makes me think of Winnie the Pooh (before he got Disneyed )

Stacey

Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow

Posted: Thu Jan 19, 06 12:31 pm Post subject:
Well, I've applied to do the beekeeping Certificate at my local agri college As I'm in receipt of a tiny amount of housing benefit it won't cost me a penny I'm a bit scared

judith

Joined: 16 Dec 2004
Posts: 22790
Location: Montgomeryshire

Posted: Thu Jan 19, 06 1:22 pm Post subject:
Ooh. You are brave. Let us know how you get on. I have reluctantly come to the conclusion that bees just aren't going to happen for me - I am too pathetically scared of being stung.

Stacey

Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow

Posted: Thu Jan 19, 06 1:41 pm Post subject:

Quote:

I am too pathetically scared of being stung.

*whispers to Judith* 'So am I'

gil
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18417

Posted: Thu Jan 19, 06 4:17 pm Post subject:

I am pathetically scared of being stung by bees and finding out that I get an anaphylactic shock reaction.

This is why I've never got round to beekeeping. One day, I am going to catch a bee in a glass jar, go and stand outside the regional infirmary's A&E, make it sting me and see what happens. Then if I'm OK, I'll go on a beekeeping course etc.

(been stung by wasps before, to no effect, other than pain)

wellington womble

Joined: 08 Nov 2004
Posts: 15051
Location: East Midlands

Posted: Thu Jan 19, 06 7:19 pm Post subject:

You are brave! I'm going to sponser a hive for my dad - he's going to keep bees when he goes to france in the spring, and I'm going to buy an extra hive and set of bees for him, and go and help him extract the honey, and take the honey from 'my' hive. He's not pathetically scared of getting stung, but I am! I hope to make some honey and beeswax things, to give him in return, and I really, really want a go at mead (so much so, that I might clear out my crafts cupboard to make space for it!) He's not a big drinker though (despite moving to calvados!) so I'll just have to keep most of it!

sally_in_wales
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales

Posted: Thu Jan 19, 06 7:50 pm Post subject:
The anaphylactic shock hasn't stopped me beekeeping, I just wear a lot of layers now and carry an epi-pen. I think its juts a case of healthy caution and always having someone with you if you know you react badly

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 43741
Location: yes

Posted: Thu Jan 19, 06 8:16 pm Post subject:
thanks , i must follow up my bee keeping bits and advice possibility .

alison
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 12918
Location: North Devon

Posted: Thu Jan 19, 06 11:23 pm Post subject:
Stacey We will have to swap notes. I start my course next week, for the next 10 weeks!

Stacey

Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow

Posted: Fri Jan 20, 06 9:20 am Post subject:
I don't know when mine starts How exciting. There's a real buzz about it. gets coat, slinks off

alison
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 12918
Location: North Devon

Posted: Fri Jan 20, 06 9:44 pm Post subject:

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