Dec 21st- A few of my favorite things...~Learning all about beekeeping at the Community Library of Dewitt and Jamesville today~Learning how to safely get the honey from the hive (and imagine that your are doing it too)~To be turned (literally) into a tasty treat
The beekeeper Emily and her son demonstrating the frames
that go in the supers (the green box) that get stacked
as the bees make more honey through the summer
The frames hang inside the supers for the bees to make honey
Smokers are used sparingly to calm the bees
Bee suits protect the keepers from stings.
They usually work in pairs to make sure they are suited up correctly.
The kids got to try it on for size
Outside they demonstrated lighting the smoker and what they burn in it
A well-lit smoker will last for hours...a poorly lit one for a few minutes
Bellows push puffs of smoke out for the beekeepers
Bees make wax to seal honey in the frames.
The wax can be melted down and purified
to make beeswax to be used for a variety of things
After the wax is removed, the frames are placed in the extractor.
Then it is hand-cranked, spinning the honey out of the frames
After filtering your have lovely, tasty raw honey
