SANDUSKY RIVER VALLEY BEEKEEPING ASSOCIATION

www.srvbeekeeping.com

OCTOBER 5, 2009

At GZ BZ HONEY FARM

7:00 P.M.

Bring your chair!

 

HELLO!

The chill is getting in the air at night, so we all know this means old man winter is coming soon. Now that most of us have our honey off or close to being done…. It's time to think about winterizing!! It's easier if you can get a head start before the cold weather really sets in, and stays.

Make sure your bees have enough food. Medicate now, if you decide to go that route. Nosema and mites would be what you're treating. Situate hives so there is a windbreak, or provide one with straw bales, snow fence or pallets. Provide ventilation by cracking the inner cover a quarter inch or so, so moist air can rise and leave the hive, rather than condense on the inner side of the inner cover.

Put entrance reducers in early, to make sure mice don't move in. Make sure your extractor is cleaned and ready to store. Leftover honey will crystallize and freeze moving parts solid, and pretty much destroy your machine. Stack stored supers so mice can't get in and chew and make a mess of them. It's best to store supers in an unheated garage if possible. If stored inside, put para crystals on top, seal cracks and top and keep closed.  Clean smokers scrub hive tools and wash your bee suit. Resupply your tool box and go over all your field notes for the year, and start to relax! The new catalogs will be here before you know it and then you can start all over again!!

Our last meeting was very interesting! Amy Lynch demonstrated making homemade soap!  Amy has been making and selling her own soaps and shared her techniques and secrets with us! "Thank you Amy!" for an informative evening!  We have talked her into coming back next meeting and she will be doing "A Demo on Making Hand Cream and Lip Balms". You won't want to miss this one either!  With the cold, dry weather coming, our skin needs all the moisturizing and protection we can get!

 

 

Harvest Cider Salad

- Makes 8 servings -

3 cups apple cider

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin

1/4 cup honey

1 can (6 oz.) frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

2 large-sized red apples, cored and diced

1/4 cup celery, chopped

1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

 

Combine 1 cup of cider with gelatin in small saucepan. Let stand 5 minutes. Cook over very low heat until gelatin is dissolved, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in honey and remaining cider. Pour lemonade concentrate over diced apples and stir to coat all sides to prevent darkening. Remove apples and set aside. Stir lemonade into gelatin mixture. Refrigerate until beginning to get thick and syrupy. Stir in apples, celery and nuts. Pour into 1-1/2 quart mold and chill until firm.

Fruit & Honey Smoothie

- Makes 4 servings -

1 can (16 oz.) pear halves or slices, drained

2 Tablespoons honey

1-1/2 cups milk

1 cup (8 oz.) strawberry or other fruit-flavored yogurt

In blender or food processor container, combine pears and honey; process until smooth. Add milk and yogurt; process until blended.

 

See You Monday night!

Sue