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New Products Announcement!

Our newsletter subscribers heard last week, but now everyone gets to hear the exciting news!

NEW PRODUCTS!

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Coming soon from a Heavenly Honey Beehive near you ! We are excited to let you know about new products we have been developing over the past several months that will be launched during the summer months and the early Fall.

To begin with, we have finalized and tested the mixture to make the BEEHIVE  BEE CLOTHS that replace saran wrap to protect you fruits, vegetables and sandwiches as well as providing a cover for dishes to protect the food contents. This is an increasingly popular product since it is all natural, lasts for up to a year and prevents stored food from sweating, suffocating and rotting. Our wraps provide the same protection to the food it contains as does the lemon rind for the lemon. The beehive wrap provides the same breathing capacity as the lemon skin

The product can be reused and  the warmth of the hand helps form it around the object being protected.  Wash in cold water between uses. It is compostable or can be used as a firestarter when it is no longer functional.

 

FIRESTARTERS

Image result for campfire

Several years ago we produced firestarters made with small candy paper cups, filled with Beeswax, and 2 small pine cones and a small wick. We sold them in packages of 15. They were very popular and sold well, particularly at Christmas time. The difficulty in mass production was in obtaining sufficient quantities of pine cones, and consequently this product was discontinued.

However, based on the principal of firelogs being prepared using sawdust, we formulated firestarters containing sawdust and beeswax. How neat is that !!! Recyling a waste product, and providing a functional product to help start the old fashioned barbeque, camp fires, and the traditional fireplace.

LIP BALM
Again, this is a product we launched 4 years ago but at the time did not have the facilities to mass produce our natural lip balms, and could not keep up with the demand. However, we are preparing to re-launch our two lip balms, in the early Fall, one of which contains vitamin E   Look for these at our Fall and Winter Shows.

HAND  CREAM
This is a product we have had for a number of years, but somehow has not been high on our production list.  We have had an increasing number of requests for a skin Cream or balm. Our product contains beeswax, olive oil, and tea tree oil.  This combination of ingredients, seals and conditions the skin as well as hydrating it. The tea tree oil assists in correcting minor skin aliments. Can be used as a body rub.

TINCTURE OF PROPOLIS
While not being a new product, we have again decided to make this more readily available.  Our tincture of propolis is a 35 % solution of propolis in alcohol. We do not purify the propolis so it contains small quantities of bee pollen. This contributes to the health benefits of the Tincture. We no longer provide propolis in powder, chunk or pellet form since the tincture is more adaptable in its usage. Normal dosage is 2 to 10 drops in a small glass of water once or twice daily.

We Are All Beekeepers!

This is Heavenly Honey’s new motto – We are All Beekeepers !

You may not have any bee hives as does Heavenly Honey and many other traditional beekeepers. However you and your  ”green thumbs” that plant vegetable and flower gardens provide an important food source for not only bumblebees but also the honey bee.

As many of you may be aware, honey bees have preferences among the wide variety of flowers available.  In order to help you with your bee keeping skills we are providing you with an article obtained from another website that lists the top ten flowers bees prefer in our area.

Presently Heavenly Honey is preparing a bee friendly “ flower seed package” containing preferred plants for Spring, Summer and Fall.

 

From our friends at Fafard.com

The decline in honey bees (Apis mellifera) has heightened the popularity of honey bee plants. Many favorite flowers for honey bees, like sweetclover, thistle, alfalfa and dandelion, are Eurasian plants too weedy for flower beds. Thankfully, there are some beautiful summer garden flowers, many being  North American natives, which are also great nectar and pollen plants favored by these Old World native bees. Regional natives are also superb forage plants for regional bees.

Early Summer Bee Flowers

Pale Purple Coneflower (Echinacea pallida, perennial)

Common yarrow (Achillea millefolium, perennial) Achillea millefolium 'Strawberry Seduction' PP18401

Summer Bee Flowers

Sunflowers (Helianthus annuus, annual)

Agastache_Blue_Boa_4 Blue Giant Hyssop (Agastache foeniculum, perennial)

Horsemint (Monarda punctata, perennial)

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea, perennial)

Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia spp., annual or perennial)

 Late-Summer and Fall Bee Flowers

Asters (Symphotrichum spp., perennial)

Joe-Pye Weeds (Eutrochium spp., perennial)  Eupatorium purpureum 2

Goldenrods (Solidago spp., perennial)

For Photos and more information see the whole article on Fafard.com

CURRENT BEE SITUATION  – OVERWINTERING AND SPRING OPENING

This past winter was the worst in recent memory for the bee population in Ontario. The final survey of overwintering losses by Ontario Beekeepers conducted by the Ontario Beekeepers Association (OBA) were released in mid – May .

Thirty percent of beekeepers reported a loss of 70% or greater of their overwintered hives; 40 % reported losses of 50% to 70 % and 30 % reported losses of 25% to 50 % According to Mr. Jim Coneybeare, President of the OBA, A the number of dead or weak colonies is astounding. These could be the worst winter losses on record.

 

In the Province of Quebec and New York State many beekeepers  reported losses of 90%.

It would appear that the main cause for these losses was the weather. In our area, Environment Canada reported 49 freeze cycles. This occurs when temperature fluctuations between cold and warm, varies over a short period of time B say a week or less. Normally this would occur 5 or 6 times during the winter season and bees can handle those conditions.

In addition to overwintering losses, as of May, surviving colonies are at least four if not six weeks behind their normal spring build up. The winter and spring of 2018 were particularly severe and damaging for beekeepers, with record breaking cold weather in December and January and no temperature relief through March and April brood rearing – often starting as early as February – was delayed until warmer weather arrived in late April.

In addition, the problem of neonicotinoids is still a major problem.

Pesticide related losses continue with 40 % of commercial beekeepers participating in the OBA survey saying they  suspect pesticides may have weakened their hives as a reason for high winter losses.

Beekeepers Calendar – July

The hives are visited weekly and inspected to see how the hive is progressing, the health of the bees and to verify that the Queen is still present and is maintaining a good population of brood.

The bee keeper does not have to see the Queen to know if she is present.  By looking at the cells in the brood chamber, you can see the density of brood, and cells in different stages of development – eggs, young and older larvae, pupae and capped brood cells. If eggs are present you know that the Queen was there in the past 2 days, if larvae are present you know she was there 3 to 8 days previously.

This is the time that swarming can occur and the weekly inspections will let you know when additional supers must be added to provide room for the increasing hive population since the Queen can lay up to 2,000 eggs per day with warm weather and a large honey flow.  If this is not done, up to half the hive will leave looking for another location. The remaining hive is useless until they produce a new Queen or a new one is introduced.

By the end of July or early August, the Queen begins to lay fewer eggs, so that the chance of swarming is reduced.

In normal years, the first honey extraction is done in mid- to late July. However, this year in eastern Ontario because of the heavy rainy conditions, the honey production is down over 50 percent from the norm and it is just now that some bee keepers have started extracting.

The weekly inspections include a check on the amount of mite infestation  ( Varroa and Tracheal mites)  If the infestation is at a level high enough to warrant treatment, any honey supers must be removed, since no treatments can be administered while supers are on. This could contaminant the honey with chemical residues. If the levels are not serious enough, treatment can be delayed until later when the honey has been removed and prior to supering up to obtain honey from the late honey flow in August and early September.

Beekeeper’s Calendar – MAY

All the hives in the bee yards have now been opened. In our area this means the protective winter cases have been removed (that helped protect the bees from the cold, wind and snow). Also the hive reducers which narrowed the hive entrance to help maintain the heat have been removed.

The food reserves in each hive have been checked and a sugar syrup feed to those bee colonies that have insufficient honey reserves to last until the spring flowers provide a new food source.

The hives have been checked to ensure each one has a healthy Queen and that she is laying eggs in a regular pattern throughout the brood chamber.  Since it is our practice to have a double brood chamber ( 2 hive boxes) for the Queen to use in laying eggs, and the colony to feed and nurture the developing brood, it is normal to reverse the two hive boxes. In other words, to switch the bottom and top supers.  This is done at this time because the Queen works her way to the upper part of the hive laying eggs as she goes. By putting her down at the bottom she continues the process of laying eggs in the now empty cells since the brood has hatched.

If there are some weak hives, (that have a small population of bees) the bees will be combined with another weak hive to ensure one strong healthy hive. If a hive is very weak, it will be combined with a strong hive.

These activities are part of the first comprehensive inspection of the season. The hive is being checked for capped brood and the brood pattern which helps determine the health of the Queen.  If there is a low amount of capped brood or erratically spaced brood throughout the hive, the Queen may have to be replaced.

The frames in the hive ( 10 frames per box) are examined for swarm cells. Eggs will be laid in Queen cells, the larvae will hatch in 3 days and later sealed on the 9th day and the new Queen will hatch in 7 days later (16 days in all).  The old Queen will leave with the swarm of bees around when the Queen cell is sealed.

It is at this time the bee keeper can exercise several options to control swarming. One is to remove the old Queen and hence the prime swarm cannot leave the colony and the soon to be hatched Queen will take over the hive.  Alternatively, if the old Queen is young and healthy, the new Queen cells might be removed.  It is very important to control swarming if at all possible since the loss of a significant number of bees weakens the hive and reduces the overall honey production for the  year.

Testing for varroa and tracheal mites is undertaken and medication applied if necessary. The hive is also inspected for infection by the small hive beetle and American Foul Brood and medicated if necessary.

Under the regulations of the Ontario Ministry of Food and Agriculture, beekeepers must wait 30 days after the last treatment of any kind before adding any additional supers to the hive. This permits the disappearance of all chemicals from the hive before the bees start to store honey in the upper supers.

Propolis

Bees collect the sticky resinous sap from the bark of conifers and other types of trees. They take this back to the hive and mix it with wax and their saliva to create propolis. Propolis is chemically very complex and contains more than 150 compounds, including terpenes, caffeic, and phenolic acids. It also has a high flavonoid content.

Propolis is generally brown in color, but can ranges from red to yellow depending on the particular sources of resin. In hot weather, propolis is soft and pliable, but when cold is hard and brittle.

Bee keepers harvest propolis in a number of ways.  During the extraction of honey, the frames of honey must be separated since they are usually glued together with propolis. After honey extraction the propolis is scraped off the frames  and ground to a powder.

Another method is the use of flexible plastic traps. These are basically special plates with small holes placed on the top of a hive below the cover lid.  Bees try to fill the holes and thus fill the trap with propolis.  The average production of propolis in a hive is 300 gms per year, although it can be considerably higher depending on the  climate, the forest resources and  the type of trapping mechanism used.

photo credit beepothecary.wordpress.com

Medical research has shown  that propolis is a powerful, natural antibiotic, and has notable antioxidant and anti-microbial properties. Hippocrates prescribed it for the treatment of sores and ulcers and Romans used it in poultices in the first century A.D. The Hebrew word for propolis is Tzori and the therapeutic properties of tzori are mentioned throughout the Old Testament.

Propolis is a strong allergen and can cause a rash in susceptible people.

One might question why bees would have need of a substance with broad antibacterial and antiviral properties. Since bees are very susceptible to bacterial and viral infections that can destroy their hives propolis (Pro – before, Polis – City = defense of the City) is used to disinfect the beehive.  This is sometimes done by using propolis as a thin coating on the inside walls of the hive.  Larger amounts are used to block cracks in the hive and reduce the entrance. Of more importance is the use of small amounts of propolis mixed with beeswax to seal brood cells. This  takes advantage of the antibacterial and antifungal effects of propolis in protecting the colony against diseases.

Propolis is a natural antiseptic which has been used by humans since the times of ancient Egypt.  It has historically been used as an anti-viral treatment against colds and sore throats; an anti-inflammatory treatment that accelerates healing in minor burns, bruises and cuts; and to ease pain and relieve symptoms of sinusitis and tonsillitis.

Other medicinal uses of propolis include treatment of the cardiovascular and blood systems; ear infections; and gastro-intestinal problems.

Raw propolis can be used in chunks, fine powder, paste, liquid extracts, tablets or as an additive to other medicinal preparations.

The most common application technique is a tincture either in alcohol or water in varying percentages from 10 % to 35 % propolis.  Usage is  2 to 10 drops in a small glass of water once or twice daily.

Beekeeper’s Calendar – MARCH

March is a critical month.  If the hive was low on honey going into the winter, then March is the month they may starve out.  The bees have probably moved all the way up in the hive and their overall population is very low due to normal die – outs throughout the winter. The bees are going to be flying much more in March, especially this year with the mild weather and consequently they consume more honey.   The entire hive will begin to return to an almost normal operation now that winter is almost over. There will be cold snaps, but the bees will do fine as they begin to expand.

It is at this time of year that bee keepers will inspect the hives. There will be a few days in which the temperature will rise to 12 degrees or higher. At these temperature we can look in the hive and remove a few frames for inspection.  March is a great month to start feeding pollen patties (which is necessary to help feed the brood).

The bottom board is usually filled with dead, winter bees.  They did their job, we play “Taps”, salute them, and toss them in the yard for the mice and birds to enjoy.  It is also at this time that we serve the mice an eviction notice. (To a mouse, a beehive is a very desirable residence. It is warm, protected from the wind and rain, and offers an ideal place for a nest. They will consume stores, especially pollen. When a colony is active, mice will generally be warned off by the bees’ ability to sting,  but as the winter cluster of bees forms, this threat is greatly diminished and the mice will try to gain access.)

At this time  we are able to assess how many colonies have died out over the winter. These boxes are cleaned out and we freeze the comb to use in the new hives in the spring. This will prevent the spread of wax moth.

March is the time in which beekeepers, begin getting the boxes and frames ready for addition to old hives and to establish new ones.

Time to Plan Your Bee Garden!

Spring is peeking around the corner, with the warm weather and sunshine everyone is probably planning their gardens! When planning remember our friends the bees! Attracting bees will not only help our bee population but also make your garden flourish! Here is a collection of ideas and plants to help grow a bee garden even in the smallest place.

David Suzuki suggests the following plants:

Early Mid-season Late
Blueberry Blackberry Aster (perennial)
Cotoneaster Cat mint Beggar’s tricks
Crabapple Catnip Borage
Cranberry Chives Coneflower
Crocus Dahlia Cornflower
Foxglove Hyssop Cosmos
Heliotrope Lavender Goldenrod
Hazelnut Raspberry Pumpkin
Heather Sunflower Sedum
Primrose Yarrow Squash
Willow

He also suggests making a bee bath out of a shallow dish with rocks and water for the bees to drink.

The honeybee conservancy suggests the following tips:

  • Replace some of your lawn with flowering plants
  • Select single flower plans (daisy, marigold) and not heavily hybridized varieties as they produce more nectar
  • Use only natural herbicides and pesticides
  • no garden? even a small rooftop or window garden is helpful to the bees!

Many retailers offer wildflower or bee mixes to augment your garden, not only are they beautiful but they will attract bee friends

Resources and information from:

Globe and Mail http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/what-you-can-do-in-your-garden-and-yard-to-help-bees-and-butterflies/article30101793/

David Suzuki – What you can do http://www.davidsuzuki.org/what-you-can-do/food-and-our-planet/create-a-bee-friendly-garden/

Bees matter – http://Beesmatter.ca

 Bring Back the Bees (from Honey Nut Cheerios) https://bringbackthebees.ca/

The honeybee conservancy http://thehoneybeeconservancy.org/act-today/plant-a-bee-garden/

Seed retailers online:

West Coast Seeds – Plant flower seeds for bees https://www.westcoastseeds.com/garden-resources/articles-instructions/plant-flower-seeds-for-bees/

Verseys Seeds Bee feed mix Wildflowers http://www.veseys.com/ca/en/store/flowerseed/wildflowersap/beefeedmix

All about Bee Pollen

What is Bee Pollen and what is it is good for? That is the most common question we get at shows.

bees-18192_960_720

Bee pollen is pellets containing over 2 million grains of pollen collected by bees from flowers. They have been compressed together with a little honey. The bee flies flower to flower carefully collecting the pollen and putting it in the pollen baskets on her legs. While flying between flowers she can clean the pollen that has stuck her fuzzy body and legs to put in the baskets as well. This pollen on the bee’s body is what is cross pollinating over 80% of the world’s green plants. One teaspoon of pollen is the work of one bee working 8 hours a day for a month.

Bee pollen is like the bread of the bee colony. It is used to feed the young bees. Bee pollen cannot be synthesized, bees cannot survive on bee pollen made in laboratories .

Bee pollen is around 40% protein, it contains all the essential vitamins and minerals as well as fatty acids, amino acids and carbohydrates. It can be considered a complete nutrient. Bee pollen can help boost energy, calm allergies, aid digestion and help nutritional deficiencies.

Sprinkle it on cereal, or granola or blend it up in your smoothie.

Morning Buzz Smoothie

½-1t Heavenly Honey Bee Pollen
1/2 banana
½ cup milk, milk substitute, juice, water or combination
1t Heavenly Honey Creamed Honey with Bee Pollen and Royal Jelly (or to taste)
Handful of mixed frozen fruit (try mango, peach & strawberry)
Splash of pure vanilla extract

Optional:
½ cup yogurt
1T chia seed
1T flax seed

Blend all ingredients in a blender or with a stick blender until smooth. Enjoy!

All of Heavenly Honey’s honey products contain bee pollen, try creamed honey with bee pollen or creamed honey with bee pollen and royal jelly (all about royal jelly is a future post!) which have 4%/2% by weight pollen added for an extra pollen kick or use our bee pollen to supplement your everyday routine.