I've got Honey!!!

[pokerman11]

Well I guess the bees have had honey for many weeks now, but now they have been nice enough to make some extra in the supers for ME.

New beek this year and my bees are from packages that I hived this spring, so it's exciting for me. A few of my hives near the swamp are doing very well and I supered. The state bee inspector was out a few weeks ago and told us that this is some of the lightest honey she has seen around here. Personaly I've not bought much honey from speciality stores - is lighter honey better than darker? - (I think it's personal choice.)

I pulled one frame today from the super, crushed it and strained thru a cheesecloth and got .7liter from it. It is really light looking compaired to that clover honey, but it's like nector of the gods, wow is this stuff tasty!

http://picasaweb.google.com/yindianguides/Bees#5362912534990812514

I guess I'm just excited, it's nice to finaly taste some of the fruits of our labor (mine and the bees)!!

[luvin honey]

Congratulations! I first harvested honey yesterday, so I think I can understand your excitement!

[Konrad]

Good for you!...it's always exiting, especially your first honey, for me it was around 5 years ago, I still keep it small, harvested this weekend 5 super from 3 hives.

Konrad

[indypartridge]

is lighter honey better than darker? - (I think it's personal choice.)

Exactly. It's like asking if red wine is better than white, or if Zinfandel is better than Chardonnay.

Congrats on getting honey from package bees in your first year - that doesn't happen often.

[Hambone]

Hip Hip Hooray! :thumbsup:

[carbide]

Dark honey has more anti-oxidants and more minerals than light honey does. Is it better for you? I don't believe very many people consume enough honey on a daily basis for it to make much of a difference. I do know that most of the public grew up with store bought clover honey and therefor they are familiar with the mild light honey. When most people have a chance to actually do a taste test comparison they will pick the darker stuff (buckwheat) that I sell.

Anyway, congratulations on getting your first ambrosia!

[sqkcrk]

Too bad you had to destroy all the good work that your bees did building comb. Get an extracter. There is a single frame nonelectric model. Very few moving parts too.

[NasalSponge]

Yep that is some beautiful honey there...congrats!! What carbide said is true....it is a personal choice but the average Joe has never had fresh, unblended honey and therefore usually prefer the lighter honey. In my experience darker honeys have more flavor.

[John Smith]

Indeed, your own honey is the best soul medicine there is.

The good news is, that thrill never wears off either. Every year, every flow, every beekeeper I know............. its always the same. When that honey starts flowing, all despair is banished, The sore back is forgotten, the money worries, cease to be worries, and the spirit flies with the eagles!

Just don't get too excited and give it all away in your exuberance. Keep a little back for the coming winter. It will drive out winter chills better than whisky. It seems on the day that there is a heap of honey, but alas, it is often a very long wait for the next honey flow.

Cheers,

JohnS

[luvin honey]

The good news is, that thrill never wears off either. Every year, every flow, every beekeeper I know............. its always the same.

That's SO good to know! I was thinking there would not be another year so wonderful as this one :)