Honey Bee Keeping and other pollinators

[taxlady]

They have an 'out building', not attached to the church but only 4 steps from the church and parking lot.
Mr bliss brought home 2 packs of micro greens, for salads or smoothies, broccoli and watercress.

What is an out building? Is it just protect you from the elements, but not heated? Or is it heated?

 

[blissful]

It was heated but from 2-6 they turned off the heat because people were going in and out with their tables etc and buying etc. So it started at 70 deg F and ended at 6 pm at 50 deg F. Brrr.

 

[Lee Vining]

Our Farmers Markets are expensive.

 

[blissful]

Our Farmers Markets are expensive.

To me, ours are too. I haven't seen any wholesale prices at an outdoor market for at least 10 years. I used to buy honey up north WI, at wholesale prices. No one here mentions wholesale prices. But if you ask a beekeeper if they will sell it at wholesale prices in 5-gallon pails, either they will, or they know someone local that will. I for instance couldn't sell you a 5-gallon pail (60 lbs) because I'm a hobbyist. The bigger beekeepers could sell you a 5-gallon pail for the going wholesale price. (usually half retail)

The same probably holds true for farmers but you'd need to approach them individually and go to their farm. They aren't going to carry bushels of produce to a farmer's market to sell at a reduced prices. They have to take a 1/2 day or whole day and pay a $20-$30/table entrance fee they have to cover.

A few years ago, there was an ad on facebook for a farm (about an hour from here) that was selling squash by the bushel for a good price (30 cents/lb?). We bought a few bushels and then I baked and dehydrated enough squash for us for a couple of years (to rehydrate and use in pies, baking, and side dishes). I just have to be on the lookout during harvest season if I have enough time for processing more.

 

[Lee Vining]

We love hand picked tomatoes. They aren’t pretty, but the flavor is fantastic.

No longer find them at the grocery store.
Have to roll by the farmers market.

We only have “UC Davis hybrid Machine Picked” tomatoes.
Tasteless but look nice.

 

[taxlady]

Tasteless but look nice.

I remember when we got a new, large Loblaw's grocery store not too far from where I live. I went in there and the fruit and veg were the first thing I saw. I remember looking at the perfectly arranged tomatoes and other produce and feeling creeped out. They were all so perfect and uniform, I found it downright scary, like it wasn't really food.

 

[dragnlaw]

Farmers Market I go to is also expensive. Sad but you can't blame them.
Only real 'deals' you can get are at the big grocers on sale, sometimes loss leaders.

 

[Lee Vining]

We have an agricultural valley 15 min away with a few remaining produce stands.
Gentrification is wiping that segment out.

 

[Lee Vining]

I was driving to the East Calvary Battlefield near Gettysburg and we passed produce shacks with signs saying Sweet NS fruit.

So ripe and sweet it meant Non Shippable.

Never saw it sold with that term before nor since.
Yep, it was good

 

[blissful]

The last wednesday's winter farmer's market was better than the first one. He sold more honey too. The vegetable lady showed up finally but parsnips were $4/lb. That just inspired me to get some parsnip seeds for this summer! I love that she has a big tunnel to keep her vegetables all winter. I wish we had that!

 

[dragnlaw]

You mean an underground tunnel? Or one she built?

 

[RavingLunatic]

The last wednesday's winter farmer's market was better than the first one. He sold more honey too. The vegetable lady showed up finally but parsnips were $4/lb. That just inspired me to get some parsnip seeds for this summer! I love that she has a big tunnel to keep her vegetables all winter. I wish we had that!

I used to have a book Four-season harvest by Eliot Coleman, he has cold frames and low tunnels for his vegetables.
I pad $3.99 for parsnips just for Christmas. I plant to grow more in the shade this year.

 

[blissful]

garden tunnel:

 

[blissful]

We just got back Saturday night from the Midwest Honeybee Expo. It was awesome, we were exhausted.

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We were staff, welcomed people, gave them name tag/lanyards, brochure, gave them directions to either speakers/workshops or the vendor hall, answered questions. 70 some vendors, 20-30 speakers from all around the country. Concessions stand, food truck, coffee/tea muffins in the morning. A couple raffles, a honey show (like at the state fair). 2 day pass for 1 adult $185, for 1 day $135, recouped with discounts from the vendors and the educational speakers from across the country. It involved the nicest people in the midwest!

 

[msmofet]

That's where this honey comes from. I love it.

 

[blissful]

There was a really nice Honey Show with judges and judges in training. Training for a judge takes over a year. Stephanie was the main judge and she ran the Honey Show. Lots of Buckwheat honey (but not from our local area). Some from midwest more southern states and some from minnesota. There was also an almost pitch black honey from a northern forest and they had it tested and it had no buckwheat in it, just forest trees. It didn't taste like buckwheat either! Nature!
Here's some pictures of all the entries. https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CbLST5RHJ/

 

[blissful]

See all the dark honey on the bottom tier, that is mostly buckwheat honey. I am going to have to buy some to get a taste for it. People tell me it has a bit of molasses flavor in it.

There was a guy there (at the expo) selling 8 oz jars of flavored honeys. The hibiscus vanilla bean flavor is what we brought home. It tastes like frosting. I'm making a chickpea apple cheesecake later this month and I'm planning on using some of the hibiscus vanilla bean honey to drizzle on it.

Today is our winter farmer's market. Everyone gets a carnation for valentine's day. Lots of goodies available from 2-6 pm today from different vendors (not us).

 

[dragnlaw]

I remember many, many years ago I had a taste of some Buckwheat honey. I was shocked at the different taste. I don't remember what it tasted like, I don't think it was molasses - I happen to like molasses but I did not enjoy this. Perhaps it was just the surprise but I've never bought nor had any since.

 

[dcSaute]

hmmmm. my grandmother did buckwheat pancakes - about once a year I do up a batch with (home done) buckwheat starter, and invite the cousins over.

buckwheat has its own 'taste' - which I like, but certainly others may not.

and . . . . by preference my grandfather ate his with blackstrap molasses (he controlled his diabetes with diet....)
I've used warmed molasses-in-a-bottle. it's not the same.
one is unlikely to find blackstrap molasses in a supermarket, perhaps a health food store.

no buckwheat honey locally - no buckwheat locally (sigh)

 

[msmofet]

molasses flavor

Yes, it does taste slightly of molasses.

blackstrap molasses

Trader Joe's has blackstrap molasses. I use in my BBQ sauce.