Beekeeping

Recently I had the pleasure of meeting with Marc and Janice Mondavi at the handsome Charles Krug winery, the first in Napa Valley. Under the guidance of the Monday family since 1943 when it was purchased by Caesar Mondavi , who built a profitable grape and fruit shipping business, the Mondavi’s remain dedicated to producing […]

OIL & HONEY EDITION Are you prepared for bug bites and bee stings? The last big holiday weekend of the summer is fast approaching. Labor Day – it’s everyone’s last hurrah before heading back to school and settling into a summer finale. Many of us will be headed to the beach, camping, hiking, boating or maybe to […]

Oil & Honey Edition Wow! Essential oils for honey bees! This has me so excited! I find a new way to use Essential Oils almost daily for myself or my family but when I read about a product that uses the Eo’s for honey bees I couldn’t wait to try it out. As a beekeeper I […]

Oil & Honey Edition Reposting a recipe because it’s so easy and elegant and perfect for a summer dessert, plus it uses honey! Last week I posted a Coconut Flan recipe using honey and coconut milk.. I enjoyed the flan so much and was so surprised at the ease in making it that I decided to […]

OIL & HONEY EDITION Today I am sharing some honey facts with you! You may be surprised at the many benefits of honey. I’m not referring to a bottle or jar of honey you purchase in a big box store…no, no, NO! To be certain you are eating or using pure honey you should purchase […]

OIL & HONEY EDITION We all know I am on the side of pollinators. Butterflies, bees, and wasps are all pollinators and necessary for food production! I prefer not to use poisons in my garden, flower beds or anywhere in my yard. I keep a habitat for pollinators to flourish in that is safe. I admit […]

OIL & HONEY EDITION Back in January with the new year I, not unlike many of you, thought about what changes to make in the new year. I wrote a post about diversifying The Orange Bee, but clearly wasn’t sure how I would go about that. Hundreds of ideas were swimming around in my head…but as […]

I know for certain that spring is here when I get a phone call about a swarm of honey bees! You may recall I am the “official” beekeeper at the Greensboro Science Center, where I take care of two hives. I’ve not had much opportunity to recover a swarm since moving to N.C., but this […]

A few weeks ago I shared a post telling about the mysteries going on in the hive I call Queen Charlotte at the Greensboro Science Center. The hive was weak, few bees, no brood, and no sign of a queen bee. If you read the previous post you’ll recall there were multiple queen cells and before […]

Early one morning last week I received a phone call from the horticulturist at the Science Center. She excitedly explained that something peculiar was going on with the bees in Queen Charlotte hive. “Lots of bees, acting frantic and buzzing about more than normal”, was what she told me. She asked if I thought they […]

Tonight I am teaching a “honey” cooking class at the Savory Spice Shop in Greensboro. I cannot wait to share this recipe for Honey Lemon Custard. This recipe is one of the easiest and most delectable desserts I can share with the class and you. I love it so much I’d like to take a […]

I would like to introduce you to the Science Center Honey Bees! Because of the role a honey bee plays in producing the food we eat, berries, peaches, almonds, beans, peppers, tomatoes….the list goes on and on, I feel lucky to be at the forefront of educating the kids, parents, teachers, grandparents and care givers that visit […]

Before Pi Day is over I am sharing an old post with one of my favorite pies. Just could’t bear to miss out on this unique day. Also there is an interesting story about bees. It’s just about that time of year when we will see honey bees buzzing about and pollinating all our favorite […]

Whole Foods Campaign I shop at a local Whole Foods because: 1. It’s convenient 2. I can buy organic 3. I can find local NC or SC produce 4. Signage tells me where my food comes from 5. They carry non GMO corn on the cob ( it is sweet and delicious – I’m […]

Do you know that those beautiful, colorful flowers you are bringing home from your local nursery or big box store could be killing bees that might venture into your yard or garden at an alarming rate? Much research has been done lately regarding a class of agricultural pesticide named neonicotinoids and the general consensus is that […]

IT IS DONE! Honey Harvest 2013 is finished for the most part. I still have one small hive up the road which I will check on when the next “good” day rolls around. I may get a few more jars of honey from hive Queen Bella.

It’s become obvious to me that my blog posts are few and far between. My apologies! In my last post I promised a story about my latest bee adventure. Here it is and this is why Mr.F always reminds me, “bee keeping is nothing but problem solving”. Back in mid-May my man Dan and I […]

Honey is plentiful around The Orange Bee abode. Assorted jars sit on the kitchen counters, more than a couple of dozen jars are stored in a rigged up “warm” refrigerator in the barn, and full frames fill the hives out in the apiary.

I promised a story about my “Sugar Shake” adventure with the bees. This experience was a first for me and possibly my bees. I can’t say for sure about the bees

Honey Harvest 2012 A story in pictures. Honey Harvest requires a good deal of work, and in Texas it is HOT. My man Dan and I enjoyed executing the entire adventure. Who wouldn’t delight in the outcome? All that glorious, fresh, pure honey the bees work so hard to make. I have complete respect for […]