Honey Bee Keeping and other pollinators

[blissful]

As long as the honey has less than 18% moisture, it won't grow anything.
Then too much water gets added and it starts to ferment, towards mead, so first towards alcohol, then unmanaged towards vinegar (neither of which mold). However, if the liquid w/alcohol somehow fails to be strong enough, or the liquid with acid fails to be strong enough, it will start growing mold.
When I'm making vinegar, I have to stir it every day to make sure the top edges have the strong acid solution keeping the mold at bay. A LITTLE bit of white mold can be skimmed away, but anything funky looking like green or blue mold makes the batch garbage (to me).

 

[dragnlaw]

too much water gets added and it starts to ferment, towards mead,

oh, oh, oh, taxy, taxy, taxy .... did you try it? huh? huh? huh? how was it? was it good? was it? was it?

I've always wanted to try some, except that it has always sounded so sweet.

 

[taxlady]

oh, oh, oh, taxy, taxy, taxy .... did you try it? huh? huh? huh? how was it? was it good? was it? was it?

I've always wanted to try some, except that it has always sounded so sweet.

I have had mead. The first time I tried it, it was too sweet. I have had it once that was very nice and not too sweet. I'm not sure I have tried it more than those two times. The one that was too sweet would work well with a dessert.

 

[blissful]

There are so many kinds of meads in all drynesses to sweetnesses.

Types of Mead: The Ultimate Guide to Mead Classifications

Owner of Batch Mead, an award winning, commercial meadery in Temecula, CA.

www.batchmead.com

Dry Traditional Mead: This mead is versatile due to its balance of sweetness and dryness. It pairs well with smokey foods such as smoked salmon, fatty cheeses, sausage, and smoked almonds. Its clean finish also complements spicy dishes, allowing the flavors to shine without overwhelming the palate.

Sweet Meads: With their pronounced sweetness, sweet meads can accompany dessert courses like peaches and cream or shortcake with strawberries. They also balance out the spiciness in dishes, making them a good match for spicy vegetable and meat dishes, similar to how Ethiopian tej is served.

Melomel: Fruit-forward melomels pair beautifully with dark, heavy meals like steaks, stews, chili, and even desserts that echo the fruit used in the mead. For example, a berry melomel might go well with a berry tart or cheesecake.

Metheglin: The spices in metheglin make it a great companion to hearty, savory dishes such as roast meats (pork, lamb, veal, or venison) and rich stews. The spices can also complement the flavors in Indian or Middle Eastern cuisine.

Cyser: Cyser's apple notes mean it pairs well with autumnal dishes, pork, and poultry. A buttery, herby roast chicken or a pork dish with an apple compote would be ideal.

Pyment: Pyment bridges the gap between mead and wine, making it suitable for meals typically paired with wines, such as pasta dishes, red meats, and cheese platters.

Braggot: Braggot's beer-like qualities make it a good match for pub fare, including burgers, fish and chips, and salty snacks like pretzels.

Session Mead: Lighter and less alcoholic, session meads are perfect for casual sipping alongside light appetizers, salads, or as an accompaniment to brunch dishes.

Sparkling Mead: The effervescence of sparkling mead makes it a festive choice for celebrations. Pair it with stronger fish (salmon, tuna, seabass), shellfish (scampi, prawns, squid), or poultry like goose and duck to cut through the richness of these dishes.

 

[dragnlaw]

OMG! bliss - never heard of nor realized there were so many!

Which one would be compared to ancient times?
I guess they are even different as to where one is thinking... as in the British Isles, Roman era, African and/or Middle Eastern.

 

[blissful]

I should make some. I'd be a fan of a dry mead. There's so much going on here all the time, it just never gets made. Our friend/neighbor kid behind us says he is making mead. (he has a couple hives in his yard and 2 more up the road) He picked up a large lot of equipment for making mead (wine). I'll have to talk with him and maybe I can buy some of his mead from him.
I know there are bars in the area (within 20 miles) that make their own mead and then have it put in cans, they sell them for something like $8/can (tall soda type can). https://drinkswaggle.com/pages/the-taproom

 

[blissful]

The second melting.
The wax was melted over paper towel into a pan w/water to clean it, middle of October.
Today I started melting the slabs of wax in water to clean it again, then cool, scrape off anything that isn't pretty, remelt it without water and pour into silicone molds. This wax is used to rub onto the new foundations before they go in the hives and to make candles. I melted down about 1/3 of the wax we have and I'm waiting for it to cool before pouring into molds. It'll take 2 or 3 days to finish with most of the time being used for letting the wax cool or heat up.

 

[taxlady]

Bliss, do you ever make beeswax impregnated cloths to use instead of cling wrap? I have one and really like it.

 

[blissful]

Not yet I haven't. They seem to be a really good idea.

 

[Kathleen]

Bliss, do you ever make beeswax impregnated cloths to use instead of cling wrap? I have one and really like it.

How well does it "cling?"

 

[taxlady]

How well does it "cling?"

It's not as clingy as plastic wrap. But, it sticks to itself or a smooth surface (like glass, porcelain, or metal) after you press it on with your hand.

 

[blissful]

Trapping season (muskrats) started Nov 1st. Now there are 8 muskrats in the garage. Mr bliss will be trapping every morning until he gets too tired, too cold, or the muskrats run out on the creek/pond. He traps in a canoe, puts in traps with long sticks to mark where they are, putting traps on the shore of the creek. Then the next day he checks them to pick up the muskrats and reset the traps.

The bees are set for winter. The neighbor and us, we have 14 hives going well between us. Now we just hope for the best between now and when it gets warm again.

 

[dragnlaw]

What is done with the muskrats? Meat, pelts?

 

[blissful]

Most years the muskrats are first let to dry, it takes about 12 - 24 hours of sitting to dry, then the fur is taken off the carcass.
The fur is again let to dry a bit hanging on a rack until he can flesh off the backs of the pelts. Then it is stretched onto a stretcher and hung to dry. A few times a year a fur buyer travels throughout the midwest and inspects/rates/prices and buys the furs for a company that makes fur coats and accessories.

Usually, the carcasses are thrown out. Back in the 70's some groups in Milwaukee would buy them for food. Most recently we have a friend up the road that makes dog food. She uses fur for making pom poms for hand made hats (she harvests small animals off where they live) and fur wrap headbands. She is now using the carcass parts to dry and she sells them as dog treats online. Natural, good for the environment, dog treats.

All of the animals harvested are with permission and licensing of the dept of natural resources. The over populations of animals keeps the balance between species and reduces damage to property and waterways. If the animals that are trapped are not harvested (or hunted), many would die of over population, disease, and predation. Over population also creates property damage. Wisconsin requires trapping education of trappers and part of that is to not over-harvest, making sure enough animals survive to continue and stabilize the population of the species for future years.

 

[dragnlaw]

LOL - confused me at first when you said the muskrats are left to dry before removing the pelts. Opposite to us, we wet them first then remove the fur. But then rabbits aren't water animals. I can understand why you do.
Thanks - and glad someone uses the meat.

 

[blissful]

the winds are going to be 20-40 mph for 2 days so he'll be taking a break. He'll go out tuesday hopefully or monday if the winds quiet down.

I made creamed honey today, Using the kitchen aid I ran the whisk accessory on high for 10 minutes out of each hour, for 7 hours. Then put it in smaller 1/2 pint jars to refrigerate. It is fluffy and creamy and white. I hope it stays that way. It isn't drippy, it's more like marshmallow fluff and makes less of a mess of the serving area.