If you are one of the many people going green with cleaning products, you may be interested in using beeswax and olive oil for your furniture polish.

The phrase stealing honey from the bees could not be more accurate. In addition to bees, at Iron Oak Farm we also raise chickens for eggs, and goats for dairy and fiber. With the other animals on our farm, I feel as though the relationship is a bit more balanced. We provide food, shelter and […]

All honey that is going to be sold will require a clear and legible label. The first thing that must go on the label on the front of your packaging is the type of honey. For instance, if your bees forage where they will, you simply label the honey as “Wildflower Honey”. If your bees pollinate a particular crop, such as clover, cranberries or the like, then you can label it as so.

Ingredients: • 3 cups fresh cranberries • 1/2 cup chopped pecans • 1/2 cup honey, preferably cranberry honey • 2 eggs • 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted Instructions: 1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. 2. Butter a 10-inch pie plate and fill with the cranberries and pecans. Drizzle […]

Honey bars recipe Makes 2 dozen bars Some Amish do keep bees so that they can make and sell their own honey. Pure homemade honey tastes delicious. I often use honey in place of molasses in recipes because we seem to prefer the taste. This bar is delicious with a strong taste of honey. 1 […]

Scones aren’t just for ovens! You can make them in a Dutch oven with this recipe. Ingredients: • 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour • 1-1/2 cups rolled oats • 2 teaspoons baking powder • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda • 1/2 teaspoon salt • 1/4 cup butter • 1/2 cup chopped pecans • 3 tablespoons finely […]

Beeswax is an amazing product. It lends substance to homemade beauty products like deodorant, lotions and lip balm; it provides a protective layer against chapped skin, can restore and protect wood and makes amazing, long, even burning candles.

If you have multiple hives you want to elevate, you may want to consider a hive stand. You could easily fit four production colonies on just one hive stand, and if you’re using only nucs, you could put even more. Learn how to build the hive stand in this great video tutorial below.

When we were preparing to harvest honey for the first time, we looked at the various ways of honey extracting. We settled on the bucket method. Using this method, there is no need for further straining or filtering.

Honey comes from bees right? Well, sort of. It could be said that honey actually comes from plants and that bees are the manufacturers that turn pollen and nectar into honey. Behind every drop of honey is the work of many, many bees collecting nectar of a hundred or more flowers. Plants need bees, bees […]

The learning curve for keeping bees is huge. One of the greatest learning curves comes when it is time to harvest honey. Everyone has their own technique and will gladly share their tips with you when they learn you are going to begin your own honey harvest. So, here are a few of mine that […]

For readers who live in areas of the country with winters as harsh as those in Northeastern Pennsylvania, colony loss is expected in the spring. As we try to grow our apiary from year to year, winter losses are always a disappointing setback. Two years ago we decided to not just replace the hives lost over the winter, but to […]

Each time I open the hive, I risk injuring or killing the queen. Each time I open the hive I set the hive back. The bees have to repair what I messed up! When I first started as a backyard bee keeper I loved to look in the hives. I wanted to get in there every few days to check things out. I did not realize there should be a PURPOSE for each inspection. Here I share some reasons for hive inspections.

Editor’s Note: This is not a place for ad hominem attacks, but rational commentary and concern. Several experienced beeks have shared their concerns about the Flow Hive setup, even after watching all promotional material. To be clear: experienced beekeepers are on both sides of the fence. We share their opinions below, but that share does […]

When Good Honey Goes Bad…Not bad, really, just crystallized. If you have ever wondered about that jar of honey in your cabinet, you aren’t alone. I’ve been asked by many people if the jar they bought years ago is still good. Happily, I have good news. It definitely is! Almost all unheated, unfiltered honey crystallizes; […]