I've Gone Country A blog about a city girl learning a whole new world

We have a friend who is keeping his hives on the land.  About a month ago he was here….working them. I do not know much about bees.  He told me he would be glad to let me suit up and he would let me get right in the middle of it.   I’m not that brave yet.

I do find it most fascinating….

He uses this thing to smoke the bees….then he can get into the hive without getting swarmed.  It makes them a little loopy I guess…or maybe I should say passive.

Here he is using it….I wanted pictures…so Billy volunteered to get closer for me.   Years ago Billy had some hives…before I came along.  That is why he volunteered, he isn’t scared.

Here he was pulling the chamber out….there are several chambers to a box.

YIKES!  That is why I didn’t suit up….and that is why I didn’t want to get too close.  Look at all those bees.

I have to admit….the smoker looks like it did the trick.

He was checking the hive very closely, looking for parasites and anything unusual.

I am very curious…and maybe I will get the nerve to suit up one day.  But….one little bee decided he wanted to get in my face.  Oh, there were arms swinging and I began to dance a jig.

I will have to think about that really long and hard.

The bee keeper told me that they were more aggressive at that time because they were protecting the hive during the colder weather.  Now that it is warmer weather the bees will be busy going back and forth to the flowers and they won’t really bother you.  Lately I have seen them, and they truly are busy.

Yesterday I noticed about 4 honeybees getting a drink of water from a little rain puddle that hadn’t dried up yet.

Strange and amazing that a little creature like that can be so important  for the plant life.  It is estimated that one third of the human food supply depends on insect pollination, most of which is accomplished by bees, according to what I have read.

Everyone that has seen the hives have been asking about the honey.  Most everyone loves honey….that liquid gold.  I also found out that honey does not spoil.  It can crystallize….but it doesn’t ruin.  They have even gathered some from Egyptian tombs and it was still edible.

There is an older gentleman that lives in our area.  He saw the hives and told me a story.  He said there was an old bee tree down here (as he pointed), years ago and when we cut it, it had honey all the way to the first branch.  He said it was just full of honey.

I like to hear him tell stories from the past about the area we live in.  It gives me a mental picture.  You can see the sparkle in his eyes while he is talking.

I can’t wait until we get to try the honey out.  Although I may not of helped with working the hives, I did  help plant some of the flowers!

Maybe that will be worth a jar of HONEY!