Here's about half of the honey (and beeswax) we harvested yesterday. We? Steve Wall, beekeeper of Buckin' Bee Honey , and supplier of the beeswax for my lotion bars, came over and mercifully helped me harvest and clean up my hive.
I'm considering trying out a Langstroth hive for next season, instead of the top bar style hive. I realized watching Steve, just how much I still need to learn about beekeeping. For example, I have a pretty big fear of getting stung. That kind of makes it hard to beekeep calmly and frequently. Sure enough, I got a TINY sting on my finger yesterday, and it was swollen this morning. But the honey is just miraculous. There is nothing like honey still warm from the hive. As a product, it is absolutely perfect and complete, courtesy of the bees--no processing or changing necessary, like an apple just picked from a tree or an egg plucked out from under a chicken.
I just loved the pictures of your beautifully packaged soaps on racks in stores! Also, I enjoyed this post showing us the fresh honey. I have a couple of questions for you. I have some fresh local beeswax that I use in some soaps and lip balms. It smells devine and turns the lip balms yellowy. Then I have purchased and use as well some white beeswax pellets which keep the products whiter, have no smell and are harder. Although I like the finishe product I get with the white beeswax pellets, I can't help wondering about how they get white, odorless and into pellets... just doesn't feel so natural! Am I right? Second question, I have recently begun experimenting with lotion bars. The white beeswax bars are harder. The yellow natural beeswax bars very soft. Is there any reason for this if I am using the same beeswax quantities? Any suggestions for getting the natural beeswax lotion bars harder? Looks like your business has really taken off this year. Congratulations. I would love the get there some day. xo Jen
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