GloryBee Blog

Understanding The Most Essential Beekeeping Tools: Part 2

In the last post, we discussed a few basic beekeeping tools that are essential for honey harvesting success. It's no secret that raw organic honey can be used in countless ways, but one of its best uses is for delectables like our Pure Organic Royal Jelly. But before you can harvest your own honey, it's important to take the right steps. Here is some more beekeeping equipment for beekeeping beginners.

Bee Brush:While not an absolutely essential piece of equipment, bee brushes are greatly helpful for removing bees from frames and generally helping to manage their positions in the hive. It's important to use these delicately, as they can hurt the bees if used incorrectly. Hobbyfarms.com says, "a forceful brush can damage tiny and delicate bee parts, such as legs and wings. It may also anger and frustrate bees, leading to increased alarm pheromones...Other beekeepers feel the brush has its place, especially when it comes to honey extractions." Bee brushes may be better suited for more advanced beekeepers, but they can also benefit the adventurous beginner with some practice. They cost around $6 and are generally seen as a good investment.
Queen Catcher:Another less common beekeeping tool, queen catchers are designed to capture the queen bee in order to isolate her from the hive for a variety of reasons, typically when the beekeeper is going through the hive. This actually ensures that the queen will be kept safe and won't escape during hive inspections or honey harvests.
Essential Oils:Essential oils can significantly help with a variety of common issues. They help attract bees to swarm boxes in addition to eliminating hive beetles, which are extremely common in hives that aren't being inspected frequently enough. Finally, essential oils can be added in small amounts to the sugar water that the bees are fed at certain times.

Ultimately, these beekeeping tools are guaranteed to make any beekeeping venture easier. Since 2006, the retail price of honey has almost doubled, and backyard beekeeping is as much of a hobby as it is a way to harvest your own sweet and delicious honey. Of course, there are easier ways to enjoy the fruits of the honey harvest! For more information about ordering our Pure Organic Royal Jelly, contact GloryBee for all your organic honey needs.

Understanding The Most Essential Beekeeping Tools: Part 1

When it comes to beekeeping, many assume that it's too much work or simply not worth the effort. Or perhaps you're imagining the threat of bee stings. On the contrary, beekeeping is an enjoyable hobby that almost anyone can enjoy!

As of 2013, North Dakota led the way in honey production with 33 million pounds of honey produced, but more and more backyard beekeepers are entering the market every year. That means you too can harvest honey in your own backyard (or rooftop, for our aspiring urban beekeepers). But before you can gather that sweet raw organic honey, you'll need to invest in some beekeeping tools. Here are some of the most essential pieces of beekeeping equipment for urban beekeepers and backyard gardeners alike:

Bee Hive Smoker:With an average cost of $30-$40, bee hive smokers are imperative for the beekeeper to be able to inspect the hive without the bees feeling threatened and becoming agitated. At com writer Kristina Mercedes Urquhart says, "Smoke acts as a buffer to the honeybee’s pheromone alarm system: When smoke is present in a hive of bees, it renders their ability to communicate inactive, temporarily placating the bees. Without messages of danger spreading through the hive, the beekeeper can more easily go about the tasks of hive inspections, frame removals, splits and honey extractions." Bee hive smokers are typically made of stainless steel and are covered with a guard to protect the user's hands. They vary in size, but the bigger the smoker, the more effective it will be.
Protective Equipment:It's no secret that bees sting, and if you've ever been stung, you're familiar with the pain. Luckily, there is a variety of beekeeping equipment designed to protect yourself from coming into contact with the wrong end of your bees. This equipment allows you to have as little or as much coverage as you want. Gloves and suits are some of the most common types of protective gear, and both are very affordable as well. More experienced beekeepers may become used to interacting with their bees and decide to forego the protective gear, but it's all a matter of personal preference.

Extracting Tools:As bee pollen does its job and honey accumulates in the hive, you'll eventually gain enough to be able to extract some for your own consumption. Extraction tools are typically made of metal, but they can be either manual or electric. Keep in mind that some extraction equipment can be rented out, so you may not need to purchase it upfront.

Ultimately, beekeeping equipment is essential for honey harvesting. Keep an eye out for the next post, where we'll discuss even more essential beekeeping equipment. Of course, if you're looking for simpler ways to acquire bee pollen, honey sticks, and raw honey, you can order all three online from GloryBee.

Understanding Conventional Canola Oil

Canola is a trademarked name of the rapeseed plant, a member of the mustard family, from which rapeseed oil is obtained. Canola is part of the larger oilseed complex and, like soybeans and some other oilseeds, is crushed into two component parts; oil and meal. It was developed specifically for its nutritional qualities and its low level of saturated fat. Each canola plant produces yellow flowers, which then produce pods. The tiny round seeds within each pod are crushed to produce canola oil. Each canola seed contains approximately 40% oil. The rest of the seed is processed into canola meal, which is used as high protein livestock feed. Canola oil is also an important feedstock for the growing biodiesel market.

Production

Canada is the world’s leader in the production and export of canola. Once considered only a specialty crop in Canada, canola has become a North American cash crop as well. Today, it is grown in a much wider zone stretching from northern U.K. and Wales all the way to the other side of the world in Australia, where it is their third biggest crop. Canada and the United States produces between 7 and 10 million metric tons of canola seed per year. North Dakota produces more than 90% of the canola in the United States. Canada exports more than 70% of its canola production around the world, making canola trading a truly international market.

Trading

ICE Futures Canada Inc., formerly Winnipeg Commodity Exchange and now a division of the Intercontinental Exchange, facilitates trading in the world’s only canola futures and options contracts. Because this commodity is priced in Canadian dollars (CAD) per metric ton, canola traders may be exposed to a currency trade in addition to food and energy trades. NAFTA and CUSTA both carry their own limitation and tariff structures on canola trading.

Canola is an edible oil and must compete with all of the other edible oil sources in the world, including soy oil, peanut oil, sunflower seed oil, etc.

Basis

Canola oil pricing is based on two factors; the basis and the soybean oil futures on the Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT). The basis is comprised of crush margin, premiums if applicable, and freight charges to destination. This component is relatively fixed. The basis value changes based on month of delivery and general market conditions such as supply, weather, cost of seed & transportation. For example; a tight supply period will reflect an increased basis value.

The market closes daily at 11:20 PST and the CBOT value can be held through close of business the same day and can be affected by weather, supply, and biodiesel factors, to name a few.

Harvest

New crop is harvested in Canada in the fall. Key factors are weather and carryover from previous crop. January is usually a more stable time to contract as the market has calmed and quieted after new crop and carryover has been evaluated.

Disclaimer: This content is provided for informational purposes only. The information is based upon conditions at the time of writing and many factors can change the pricing and availability of crops. This information should not be considered purchasing advice. Please contact a GloryBee sales representative at 1-800-456-7923 to learn more

A Short and Sweet History Of Beekeeping

There's been a ton of buzzworthy bee talk in recent news, as honeybees are struggling to survive -- and so will we, if things continue on this path. After all, bees are responsible for pollinating more than $15 million a year in crops just in the U.S. alone. If bee populations continue to dwindle, the honey bears filled with delicious organic honey we keep in our kitchens may soon be a rare and expensive find. Climate change, loss of habitat, and the use of harmful chemicals are making it extremely difficult for our world's bees to thrive. But it wasn't always that way. Let's take a look back in time at this short (and sweet) history of beekeeping.

It all began with Egypt

There are Mesolithic rock paintings that depict honey harvesting and hieroglyphics of bees, so it's likely that humans were consuming honey as early as 15,000 BC or maybe even earlier. But you might be surprised to learn that you probably wouldn't have those cute honey bears at home if it weren't for the ancient Egyptians. Honey was actually a staple in their diet. Archaeologists have even discovered honey jars buried within the tombs of pharaohs! In fact, pharaohs were even called "Bee Kings." But the ancient Egyptians didn't have the modern beekeeping equipment we have now, of course. They created cylindrical hives, which could be stacked up to eight feet in height, using mud from the Nile River.

Then, honey came to Europe and beyond

Some records show that ancient peoples from the UK and Scotland were making honey ales between 300 and 600 BC. But it's also mentioned in ancient texts like the Bible and Homer's Odyssey. Tree beekeeping caught on in Europe during the Middle Ages, although honey had been in use for centuries. It actually wasn't until the 1700s that people realized bees made honey by gathering flower nectar; until that time, they thought bees were just the gatherers who were able to scoop up this ready-made sweet stuff! In the 1800s, a polish apiculturist named Johann Dzierzon created the first comb beehive that allowed keepers to move each honeycomb without destroying the entire hive. Based on his design, others followed suit -- and beekeeping continues to evolve even today.

Historical uses of honey

These days, we know that the bee pollen and the organic, local honey in your honey bears provide countless nutritional benefits. And even though people in the past didn't have the science to back that up, that's exactly what they thought, too! Ancient civilizations not only used honey for food but also utilized it for medicinal purposes, cosmetics, and even the production of alcohol. Beeswax, of course, was used as a source of light (i.e., candles), painting, pharmaceuticals, makeup, and to seal official documents later on. Bee pollen has also historically been used as a medicine, as a food source, and even as an aphrodisiac.

Essentially, people have always turned to honey! And countless people continue to do so today. Whether it's as a note of sweetness in your afternoon tea, as a sugar substitute in your baked goods, or as a delicious component of your supper, there's nothing quite so sweet and satisfying as what our bees can provide.

Honey Throat Drops

Many people swear by using honey to soothe throat irritations. Using our Buckwheat Blossom Honey and essential oils, you'll no longer need to buy expensive throat drops from the store, but can make your own all-natural drops at home!

Ingredients

1 cup brewed peppermint tea

1 cup Buckwheat Blossom Honey

½ cup organic cane sugar

15-20 drops each – Lemon and Peppermint Essential Oil

Silicon mold

Directions

Brew one cup of peppermint tea. While tea is getting ready, pour one cup of Buckwheat Blossom Honey and ½ cup organic cane sugar into a heavy saucepan. Pour tea into saucepan and bring all to a boil on medium heat, stirring constantly.

Keep stirring and boiling mixture until it reaches 300 degrees on a candy thermometer – hard crack candy stage. At 300 degrees, remove pan from heat and add essential oil drops, stirring constantly.

Working quickly, pour honey syrup into silicone molds and allow to cool. Once cooled, store in an air tight container with a little bit of powdered sugar to prevent them from sticking together. You can also wrap each drop in parchment paper if you prefer.

Baked Acorn Squash with Sausage

With Fall weather upon us, it's often time to clean up your garden and harvest the year's final bounty. We love using squashes for many recipes throughout the season - starting with acorn squash! The sausage, kale and fennel mixture provide a bundle flavors that will please sweet and savory palates.

Ingredients

2 acorn squash, halved, seeds discarded

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed

1 pound spicy Italian sausage, casings removed, crumbled

1 large onion, diced

1 fennel bulb, diced, fronds reserved

2 packed cups baby kale

¼ cup Glory BeeⓇ Raw Honey

Directions

Preheat oven to 375℉.
Brush squash halves with oil and place hollow-side up in a baking dish. Bake 45 minutes then remove from oven.
In a large skillet over medium heat cook sausage, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, and pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat from pan. Or add enough oil to pan to equal about 2 tablespoons.
Sauté onion and fennel in sausage drippings until soft, 6-8 minutes. Stir in kale and cook just until wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir sausage into onions and fennel. Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Divide sausage mixture between squash halves. Drizzle with honey and bake until squash is tender, 30-35 minutes.

Pumpkin Spice Caramel Corn

The perfect amount of sweet, crunch and flavors of fall, this spin on an old favorite will keep you coming back for more! Featuring our Glorybee Pumpkin Spice Honey, it is easy-to-make and perfect for your upcoming Halloween party or holiday gathering. We recommend to make a double or triple batch because it will go fast!

Ingredients

16 Cups Popped Corn (unpopped kernals removed)
½ Cup GloryBee Pumpkin Spice Honey
½ Cup Aunt Patty’s Unrefined Virgin Coconut Oil
½ Cup Aunt Patty’s Coconut Sugar
1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

Directions

In a medium saucepan, heat the Pumpkin Spice Honey, Coconut Oil and Coconut Sugar over medium until boiling. Stir frequently with a rubber spatula. Boil for 1 minute and remove from heat.
Let mixture cool for 15 minutes. Once it cooled, but still warm add vanilla extract. Stir until well blended.
In a large mixing bowl, pour warm caramel mixture over popped corn. With a rubber spatula mix thoroughly until all the popped corn is covered with the warm pumpkin spice caramel.
Pour the caramel corn onto a parchment paper lined large cookie sheet. Heat oven to 225° F and place the cookie sheet in the oven for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, flip the caramel corn over with a spatula and then heat for another 10 minutes.
Pull the caramel corn out of the oven and cool completely.
Once it is completely cool, break it apart, place in a bowl and enjoy!

3 Surprising Ways To Use Honey In The Kitchen That’ll Have You Buzzing

The honey bears many families have in their homes sure are cute, but they're popular for a plethora of other reasons, too. Organic honey is definitely having a moment. It's the go-to for everything from artificial sweetener alternatives to allergy relief. But if you've already found where to buy honeystix and honey bears in your area, you might be looking for a few fun and creative ways to incorporate the sweet stuff into your favorite foods and activities. Below, you'll find three surprising ways you can put to good use your knowledge on where to buy honey stix.

Make delectable salad dressings

According to food chemists at the University of Illinois, honey can act as both a sweetener and as a preservative. That means that it's the perfect component to salad dressings your family will love. Try a combination of honey, lemon, olive oil, and herbs or spice things up with a honey ginger or honey jalapeno. The honey will help keep these dressings good for up to nine months, but unlike store-bought condiments, you don't have to worry about chemical preservatives. So find where to buy honey stix in your area and pick up some seasonal produce on the way home tonight for a new twist on the boring bed of greens.

Save seasonal fruit

Love to can summer fruits? Honey is the way to go. While some prefer water, because honey is technically an acid (it has a pH between 3.2 and 4.5), it helps reduce the risk of bacterial spread. That means that your fruit will last a lot longer and you can enjoy it all winter long without worry. Some experts say a mixture of honey and water -- a 1:10 ratio -- works best. Now that you know where to buy honeystix, you can put those little packets to good use!

Create delicious desserts

Obviously, anyone who has a sweet tooth will enjoy using honey in the kitchen. But while drizzling it on ice cream, goat cheese, or apples can be scrumptious, it's not the only way to enjoy this treat. You can use it to make some of your favorite indulgences and avoid the store-bought, chemical-laden versions in the process. For instance, you can use honey to make marshmallows, caramel sauce, chocolate, and even almond milk and cocktails! So whether you're in the mood for a sundae or a s'more, you've got at least one of the best ingredients already in your cupboard.

Whether you're wondering where to buy honey stix or you've already stocked up and are ready to get cooking, these yummy ideas should whet your appetite. And of course, a little extra drizzle of honey will make just about any dish even better.

Artisan Fermented Honey Vinaigrette

Making your own salad dressing is a lot easier than you'd think. Finding the right mix of vinegar, fats and extras are what will make your dressing perfect. A good ratio to start out with is two to three parts oil, one part acid (vinegar), then finishing with your favorite herbs and spices. GloryBee's Artisan Fermented Honey is a low acid vinegar, and provides both a sweet and tangy kick to this recipe and works wonderfully.

Ingredients

½ cup Organic extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup GloryBee Artisan Fermented Honey
2 cloves of garlic – pressed or minced finely
1 tsp dried mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Whisk all ingredient together in a small bowl. Use as a salad dressing or marinade for chicken or fish dishes. We served ours with a mix of arugula, figs and feta. Enjoy!

4 Tips For Introducing Your Child To The Basics Of Beekeeping

As summer ends and the back-to-school season starts up again, kids are continuing to grow and develop more responsibilities. If your child has shown an interest in the great outdoors from a young age, they may be interested in taking on beekeeping as a hobby. Beekeeping is no easy task, and although it offers countless benefits, it's important to approach the process correctly. Here are a few tips to consider when introducing your child to beekeeping.

Understand Apprehension

First, it's important to be aware that even though children may be fascinated by the bees themselves, there's a good chance they're still nervous about the stingers. Honey bees can fly up to 15 miles per hour, and it's perfectly reasonable for children to fear getting stung. Don't ever be too aggressive or pushy when it comes to assigning specific jobs, participating in demonstrations, and overall beekeeping maintenance.

Suit Up With Beekeeping Equipment

Next, beekeepers should make sure their children are fully protected when near the hives. Beekeeping gloves and hats are highly recommended for beginners of any age. As children learn more about bees' habits and the way they make raw organic honey, they may start to feel comfortable without these beekeeping tools.

Know Sting Safety

This is especially critical if your child has never been stung before and therefore may have an unknown allergy. In the event of an emergency, an Epinephrine Auto Injector or EpiPen may prevent a trip to the emergency room. However, severe bee-sting allergies almost always develop over time as opposed to all at once, so make sure you have other general sting remedies and topic ointments available on hand.

Employ With Purpose

Finally, make sure to assign jobs ahead of time and with purpose. For example, you don't want to assign the duties of using a bee hive smoker to an absolute beginner. Instead, break up larger tasks into smaller tasks and assign accordingly. Of course, if you're working with children in smaller groups or in a one-on-one setting, demonstrations and interactions will most likely be the primary learning method.

Ultimately, many children love interacting with bees once they get to know them and feel comfortable with them. Still, it's important to take the initial introduction process slowly and carefully. For more information about bee hive smokers, contact Glorybee.

GloryBee Non-GMO, Fair Trade Honey- Doing the Right Thing Matters!

We believe business can be a force for good and we work to infuse that ethos in everything we do. Even our honey is produced with the intention of being good for people and our planet.

Honey with a Mission!
We wanted to improve the livelihoods of our suppliers while also providing safe habitats for bees. We began working with non-profits, such as Food 4 Farmers, to teach beekeeping to low-income families in Mexico. The result is a delicious, high-quality Non-GMO Project Verified, Fair Trade honey that directly benefits the indigenous beekeepers by supporting community improvement projects.

Why Non-GMO Honey? Because you have a right to know what you’re eating.
GloryBee is proud to be part of the growing consumer movement for transparency. We believe everyone has the right to know what’s in their food. That’s why we support legislation that mandates mandatory GMO labeling. Other reasons to support GMO labeling include:

Some GMOs are resistant to toxic chemicals. The effects of human consumption of these unnatural GMO products is still unknown. People have a right to know what they are consuming, even if the health-effects are still being researched.
GMO products do not naturally occur in nature; they are man-made. The long-term effects GMO crops and livestock are having on our environment are still being determined. We believe people have the right to know if the products they are buying are naturally occurring products or genetically modified products.

Why Fair Trade Honey? Because people are more important than profits.
Family farmers in the Global South often face low-wages and poor working conditions as a result of unfair trade policies and corporate practices. At GloryBee, we believe that conscience consumers, when properly informed, can create positive change and promote economic justice with their food purchases. Certified Fair Trade Products ensure:

People are treated fairly with dignity
The environment is respected and nourished
Business is enhanced by cooperation, not competition

Healthy Living is founded in natural, earth-made products that are good for you and our planet. Join the movement to use business as a force for good. Together we can make a difference!

For bees, Fat is where it’s at

By Dewey Caron, Ph.D. (Professor Emeritus, University of Delaware. OSU Affiliate Professor. Internationally known Researcher, Educator and Entomologist. Author of Honeybee Biology and Beekeeping.)

In September bee colonies rear the bees that are going to rear FAT fall bees. FAT bees store reserves in their bodies, a process that involves the bee blood protein called vitellogenin. FAT bees suspend the normal aging process to live many weeks compared to their sisters who live only a few weeks during the active season. Fall colonies need to be FAT too to provide the overwintering food reserves for when the weather turns colder. See: www.pnwhoneybeesurvey.com for survey summaries on feeding and wintering practices that may help improve overwintering for OR backyarder colonies.

Good queen stock improves overwintering but by September it is too late to attempt to requeen. Weaker units can be combined to form stronger ones to bolster the population, if no disease is present and mite numbers are low. Colonies FAT with a new queen and colonies FAT with adult bees help insure overwintering success.

And of course mite populations will greatly impact successful overwintering of colonies. Mite numbers need be below 5% adult infestation (counting mites removed with alcohol or powdered sugar shake from adult bees taken from the brood chamber and dividing by sample size). It is not too late to reduce mite numbers in September with essential oils (Apiguard and ApiLife Var), formic acid (MAQS) or Apivar treatment. If you are thinking to use Hopguard II or Oxalic acid, wait until there is no or very small amounts of capped brood. We DO NOT WANT colonies FAT with mites.

Our major fall management tool is FEEDING – start with feeding the bees that will rear the FAT fall bees. We would feed carbohydrate (sugar) so the colony can become FAT with sufficient, high quality honey stores. We might feed protein (pollen patties) to help the bees conserve bee bread stores, for use next spring, to insure FAT fall bees for overwintering. Feeding helps FATTEN up (i.e. compact) the brood area and puts capped honey to the sides and above the brood so winter clusters can move upward, keeping in constant contact with honey.

Sugar for fall feeding needs to be of a high quality with low contaminants. Some natural honeys are less useful compared to cane or beet sugar, fed as a heavy syrup, because they may crystallize rapidly in the comb (canola and ivy for example) or ferment (lavender may do this) or may have higher levels of acids, minerals, etc. (goldenrod and knapweed are examples) making them less desirable than sugar water honey for overwintering. Sugar water honey offers great overwintering qualities.

To insure the bees take and store the sugar water you offer, place it right over the top box (immediately inside or outside the hive covers) or in a division board feeder inside and adjacent to the brood area. Entrance feeders or feed-lot feeders are less desirable as you might be increasing yellow jacket predation pressure. [The image] shows entrance feeder jar over inner cover hole with empty box for protection. It may be important to ‘force feed’ bees in the fall putting several containers on top or using a large volume top (or division board) feeders.

To encourage the bees to take more syrup, FATTEN the offer and add a smell (a few drops of an essential oil) or use one of the many food stimulants/supplements (Honey-Bee-Healthy is an example). Some beekeepers also FATTEN the syrup with microbiologicals, pro-biotics or amino acid boosters or an increasingly variety of feed “additives.” Independent data on claimed benefits of most of these additives is lacking but if you have success and you feel your bees overwinter better with their use, then continue with them by all means.

Feeding of protein will not build a stronger colony but it might help insure FATTER, healthier bees and enable the colony to conserve their stored bee bread stores. It is believed that the protein in patties is used right away and not stored by the bees so they would be using this resource first before use of stored bee bread. Feeding now and resuming supplemental protein feeds in the early spring will improve bee health and build colonies more rapidly so you need to have a management plan to handle early queen rearing which might mean more swarming behavior.

Once the weather cools at night and rains resume, halt the syrup feeding. You can continue supplying sugar but switch to dry sugar, a sugar candy or fondant sugar in a patty. These should be fed inside at the top of the colony (beneath the inner cover or within a special feeder rim). Fall feeding can make a FAT bee, FAT is good for bees and you will likely see the difference in colony overwintering success.