Country Mouse Monday: Powers activate!
Monday, June 11, 2012 at 09:36AM 
Welcome to Country Mouse Monday, a new feature-thingie in which I'll share some current aspect of my particular OCD -- that is,
Obsession with Country Mouse Domesticity!
Country Mouse Monday could just be what's up on our farmlet or what's happening with our bees or just what's particularly beautiful outside in this little paradise where we make our home.
Right now, since we're poised right at the delicious tipping point between seasons, between spring and summer, it's all about the bees, where are they flying, what are they eating, and, above all, what are they making.
Honey, and lots of it!
We harvested about 10 frames between two hives last weekend which, combined, yielded about 3 .5 gallons of honey, a little light but still plenty-plenty. We harvested from one of our two hives at home -- The Bitches, so named for their fiery temperament (although they're a little easier on us these days since the colony swarmed twice in May, the first we captured and installed at friends' in Pt Reyes, the second got away before we could hive them) -- and from our hive in The Canal area, the so-called Shop Bees. This is the first time in our three full years of beekeeping that we've managed a harvest like this, that we've had a combined take of this much deliciousness, one big combined San Rafael harvest.
It's not greed, it's respect
Well, that's how I describe it anyway: our drive at harvest to capture every drop of the honey from the frames we've taken off. Considering how long it takes one bee to manufacture the smallest amount of honey, the hours of flight, of gathering, of curing in the hive: there's no way we're going to waste any. We're the same way about our bees in general, actually, which is why we check them every other weekend, to ensure the Queen is laying, the workers are working, and that their stores of food are sufficient, and also to prevent swarming, which always feels like the result of a lack of attention. And while we're in there checking, we take off honey when there's enough to warrant it, replacing full frames with empty for their continued labor. Bees like to work; it's what they're born to, and one of the many things I love about them.
Harvest How To, chez nous
To harvest honey, we use the very low-fi old school crush and drain method we were taught by our teacher, Alan Hawkins, which requires cutting the comb from the frame, crushing it with your hands (delectable) into the new crush bin that Joe made us (for $35 vs the $100 the catalogs sell these for), and letting it drain through a sieve into a bucket with a tap on it, from which we fill bottle after bottle. Like this:
Oh, and yeah, we convert the garage into our temporary honey house for these purposes, because honey gets everywhere. Our friend Reba is tidy enough to perform these activities on spead-out newsaper in her kitchen, but we're a bit of a mess.
Everything's Sticky
After several repetitions of this process now over the years, we've gotten pretty good about assembling all of our supplies beforehand -- a big bowl of water for hand-rinsing, multiple sharp knives and scrapers -- but that still doesn't prevent the doorknobs and cabinet handles garage to kitchen and back again from getting sticky. But considering we're up to our elbows in wax and honey in this process, that it's in our hair, that's no surprise, and a small price to pay.
The method we use requires letting gravity and heat do their tricks. Eventually the honey flows out of and through the crushed comb, draining into the bucket. At left, you can see that we've pulled the sieve filled with crushed wax off into the kitchen and set it up over a bowl to let the last of the honey drain off. After this, we rinse the wax and hand it off to friends with candle-making ambitions or hold onto it for other projects (like the lip balm!).
The last bit of wax-draining like that at left filled an entire jar with honey, so we're glad to make the extra effort to get every delicious drop!
Sometimes we talk and laugh about how much we have into this hobby of ours, how many hours, how many dollars, how many bees, all for something which has no mercantile pay-off at all. All that honey we jar? We give it away. Sure, we could try to sell it (us and what army), but it's worth so much more to us as something we can gift to others. Don't get me wrong: we do not refuse the odd trade that comes our way -- honey for oranges and eggs from next door; honey for smoked salmon, yes, please. But really, like the best of work, this is work we do for free.
We do this for love.
The bees and the honey are such a powerful reminder, to this Country Mouse at least, of all that is best and most beautiful in this world, of what can be yours through the simple glory of purposeful, selfless work. All that honey in your hands, all that sunshine in your mouth. Don't do it for money. Do it for the simple love of doing it, for the satisfaction of the work, and the sweet reward that awaits.
Rose Petal honey, recipe on Gardenista
Stay tuned for next week's episode of Country Mouse Monday: The Changing of the Chard!
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Reader Comments (1)
The Changing of the Chard? I ♥ THAT.