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Merit Badge Chit Chat:  The Secret Life of Bees Expert Level  |
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GinnyBelle
True Blue Farmgirl
501 Posts
Hannah
West Lafayette
IN
USA
501 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 13 2024 : 4:49:50 PM
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I started this badge a couple of years ago, earning the beginner level back in 2021. I recently delved back into it and realized that while I wasn't in a position to raise my own bees, I had a friend that has been doing it for years! So last spring, I approached her about becoming my local honey dealer, a requirement of the intermediate level. I also explained how I was trying to earn this badge for MJF and she was delighted to help me out! So July 21st last year, she emailed me to say her honey was ready to harvest and we set a date for me to come help. Boy, was it an experience! We geared up and headed out to her hive box where she fired up the smoker and we got to work. She pried the honey loaded frames out of the hive while I was in charge of the lid on the holding box. We had to get the frames into the box just right and the lid back on quickly so that the bees wouldn't follow the frames in. Once we had all the frames that were ready, we replaced the now empty slots with new frames and headed back to her house to extract the honey. It was harder than I thought it would be! First we had to shave the wax end caps off just right with a special knife. Then we had to put them into this barrel machine thing and crank like nobodies business to get the honey to fly out. It then emptied out the spout, through a colander and into a big bucket. After that, it would go through a couple of progressively finer filters before being ladled into jars. I wasn't able to actually help with that part because the valve was leaking a bit so she had to get that sorted out and was going to finish up the following day. But she did explain what she would be doing and sent me home with a jar of yummy unstrained honey complete with pollen and wax bits. All in all, it was a fascinating process and one I was grateful to have been a part of!
Hannah #6994
February 2023 FGOTM |
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Jokamartell
True Blue Farmgirl
1430 Posts
Karen
Kennewick
WA
USA
1430 Posts |
Posted - Jan 13 2024 : 7:12:47 PM
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What a great experience, Hannah!! I had no idea that getting the honey was quite so labor intensive! :)
Karen :)
To quote one of my past preschoolers “Not one of those Karens, but a good Karen”! Haha |
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MaryJanesNiece
True Blue Farmgirl
6718 Posts
Krista
Utah
USA
6718 Posts |
Posted - Jan 15 2024 : 2:18:41 PM
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Wow Hannah, that is so neat! I also had no clue that it was that much work to collect honey. I does sound like a fun experience. My neighbor has bees too. I will have to ask her if I can help her collect honey sometime.
Krista |
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nndairy
True Blue Farmgirl
3004 Posts
Heather
Wapakoneta
Ohio
USA
3004 Posts |
Posted - Jan 16 2024 : 5:43:02 PM
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What fun!
~Heather
Farmgirl Sister #4701
September 2014 Farmgirl of the Month
"The purpose of life is to enjoy every moment" - Yogi teabag
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suny58
True Blue Farmgirl
4334 Posts
Dianna
Jack
Al.
USA
4334 Posts |
Posted - Jan 17 2024 : 5:32:57 PM
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That is super awesome Hannah!!
Farmgirl #7103
FGOTM January 2018
Dianna
"Blessed are they that see beautiful things in humble places, where other people see nothing." Pissarro |
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Nancy Joplin
True Blue Farmgirl
181 Posts
Nancy
Ontario
California
USA
181 Posts |
Posted - Jan 19 2024 : 5:46:24 PM
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Amazing job, Hannah! So much to appreciate! Enjoy your honey!
Nancy 8352 |
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shennandoah
True Blue Farmgirl
66 Posts
Shennandoah
La Vernia
TX
USA
66 Posts |
Posted - Feb 18 2024 : 6:54:59 PM
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| Wow Hannah that's great! I'm working on my intermediate badge and do have my first hives arriving in couple months. I am a bit overwhelmed by it all, including the honey processing piece of it. That's awesome that you were able to get that hands on experience with it. And of course some tasty honey too! |
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Merit Badge Chit Chat: The Secret Life of Bees Expert Level |
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The Secret Life of Bees Expert Level
