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Gathering Honey "Around the Farm Table"
November 26, 2013 Leave a Comment
Another episode of Around the Farm Table airs at 7:30 Thanksgiving night. In the episode, host Inga Witscher makes a batch of switchel, an oddly palatable drink made of vinegar, honey and ginger. Read on for Inga’s own account of the time she gathered honey for the switchel at Honey Hill Apiary. Watch the full episode Thursday or now online.
I love bees. I respect bees. I think I have a pretty “high bee consciousness.” Regardless, I don’t do well by them. Bees and me don’t mix well – uh ah; not at all. Once I was stung on my cheek just before boarding a plane to visit my parents. My face was so swollen – they did not recognize me!
So I was understandably a bit apprehensive about our bee shoot at Honey Hill Apiary in Maiden Rock, Wis.
I was told NOT to smell of shampoo, or deodorant or any other artificial smell. Seems that makes the bees angry. So, after the morning milk we skipped showers to sport l’eau d’ barn!
We walked into the field of blooming buckwheat, to Douglas, presiding over hundreds and hundreds of buzzing bees. Through his steady stance, I steadied my nerves, then put on the Bee Suit and took to heart his suggestion that I should not be afraid – especially because bees could sense fear, and then might sting.
So, I turned my attention to the beauty of that blooming buckwheat field, and the calm manner in which Douglas removed the supers, revealing the handiwork of all those busy bees.
The sound of all those bees was incredible! I felt like I was in a hive! But the bees didn’t seem to mind that Douglas and I were standing over them. They kept on working, buzzing from the buckwheat to the hive and making honey.
Douglas also harvests the buckwheat from the fields and grinds it into flour. For a recipe for buckwheat flour pancakes check out our website www.aroundthefarmtable.com.
