We’re in the Honey

September is National Honey Month! We harvested our honey in July and decided to let the bees store the rest for the winter. Of course we had to feed them during the dearth( no nectar or pollen) in August but now the fall flow has started. If you go into an apiary, at this time of year, it may smell like dirty socks! Nothing is wrong, its just the smell of goldenrod.

You probably have heard all the facts about bees and honey, but I’m going to tell you again! To make 1 pound of honey, the bees in the colony must visit 2 millions flowers, fly over 55,000 miles, and will be the lifetime work of approximately 768 bees. A single honeybee will only produce approximately 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime. Honey is the ONLY food that includes all the substances necessary to sustain life, including water. So the next time you see a honey bee, just let it BEE!

Fall is a great time to plant trees that bees love! TN state tree is the Tulip Poplar(and a favorite of bees), any kind of fruit tree, Linden Tree, Golden Raintree, and the list goes on. You can start planning your pollinator garden by laying down black plastic to kill the grass/weeds for spring planting.

Here’s a simple honey recipe: Honey Butter. 1/2 cup unsalted butter( room temperature), 3 Tablespoons of Local Honey, 1/2 tsp kosher salt( can omit this if using salted butter). Beat butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the honey and salt; beat until combined. You can leave on the counter, covered for up to 2 days or in refrigerator for 2 weeks( can be frozen up to 2 months). You can add cinnamon, cranberries, herbs, or whatever your clever mind can think of! Go on and put it on cornbread , biscuits, roasted veg… the possibilities are endless! Are you salivating yet??

Happy Honey Month Y’all!! And Bee Safe!

TN Bee Farm