winter beekeeping part II

Leave a comment January 27, 2015 nourishinggrace

“Like a bee one should extract from each of the virtues what is most profitable. In this way, by taking a small amount from all of them, one builds up from the practice of the virtues a great honeycomb overflowing with the soul-delighting honey of wisdom.”

(St. Gregory of Sinai – 14th Century)

Did you know that it takes nectar from about 2.6 million flowers to make one pound of honey? And that it takes one thousand bees to make one ounce of honey?

The bee, from her industry in the summer, eats honey all the winter.
-Belgian Proverb

It was mid-June when we brought the bees back to our yard. This was well after the peak nectar flow of April and May. With that in mind, we did a lot of feeding to get them prepared for winter. It was so late in the summer, there was no way they would be able store enough honey to survive the winter without a hand.

Now in the midst of the short winter days, this beekeeper is once again schooled in patience and faith. The days are too cold to check on the health of the colony and the cold temperatures of winter bring a hush over the hive. The normally bustling entrance is silent of all activity.

When you can’t bear it any longer you might take a chance and knock on the side of the hive, they will occasionally have mercy on you and send out a little sentinel to let you know that they are still alive and well. Save for a warm enough day when the bees can get out of the hive for a potty break, the hive appears dormant and lifeless.

But, life in the hive has not ceased – it’s merely less active to the visible – and hidden from the world.

to bee continued

winter beekeeping

Leave a comment January 26, 2015 nourishinggrace

The closer we examine the honeybee, the more we realize the workings of a beehive encompass territories beyond our comprehension. – Leo Tolstoy

A little over a year ago, we a lot of our hives after the passing of two beloved members of our family. Disappointed and feeling stretched thin, I gave the equipment for one entire hive to my local farmer – where we had been keeping a colony to help pollinate their fields. We liked being part of the local food shed, but it was just too much to homeschool, get a master’s degree, do chores, teach Sunday School and take care of the bees in the garden and the bees on the farm. Time to pair down.

We considered getting out of the bee business altogether but one factor motivating replacing the hives is the situation with the disappearing bees. Last March, one of the nation’s largest beekeepers lost half of their hives. This is pretty significant. There are many who say that it is the hobbyist beekeepers that will save the bees. The reason? They are more likely to use sustainable organic methods, raise bees that stay in one place with seasonal local foraging possibilities. All that combined will breed heartier less stressed bees.

So, last summer, we jumped back in and set up two young hives of Russian bees in the garden.

These came from local beekeeper in Maryland. His name is Charles Walter and he is part of a certified bee breeding program for our region. You see, our local beekeeping community is working diligently to breed bees that thrive in our area. Every region has it’s own climate and nectar flow patterns and pests… these awesome men and women are rearing queens that are well suited to our region- many of them do it organically too!

That means for a queen breeding program, that apiary is not allow to intervene on any of those hives. The colonies need to be strong, and produce queens with hearty DNA that aren’t as susceptible to mites.

As it turned out, we picked up our bees from the apiary in person – which was awesome, because we got to see a master beekeeper open up his hives. I learned more that day watching him then in all my beekeeping classes! The result was a drive home with 30,000 bees in the car… give or take a few. The kids joked and wondered whether we should put the “Bee Movie” on for the drive home.

to bee continued

offering

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prayer as foundation

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through the prayers of the Theotokos

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the lowly dandelion

Leave a comment January 25, 2015 nourishinggrace

“There are always flowers for those who want to see them.” Henri Matisse

Dandelion – the word comes from the french dent de lion meaning tooth of a lion. Herbalists absolutely love the dandelion… unfortunately, homeowner’s do not! Most of us don’t want them in our yards and go to great lengths to see to their complete eradication. And it’s a strange irony that our supermarket sells dandelion leaves (much bigger than the paltry ones growing my lawn) for $7.00 a bunch! Turns out they are a nutritional powerhouse, brimming with minerals and vitamins! Truly, one man’s weed is another man’s salad!

For most, the dandelion is an unwelcome invader, but as a beekeeper, I can appreciate that it was european settlers who introduced the dandelion to the midwest as food for the honey bee (as it turns out, the settlers brought the honeybees too!) That’s right… the dandelion was brought to this country, on purpose! Whether or not my family wants to eat it is one thing, but the bees love dandelions. They are one of the first and most reliable blossoms of spring and in our yard, offer an abundant food source.

Dandelions are often used in salads, but my Greek father in law simply liked to just blanch and sauté them with butter or olive oil and salt. In Europe, you’ll even find the flowers made into dandelion wine.

If you have ever eaten dandelions, then you know that the roots and leaves are quite bitter. That flavor stems from the flavonoids that give the dandelion such effective purifying and cleansing properties. Bitter flavor aside, the dandelion may be one of the world’s most nutritious green vegetables. It ranks among the best natural kidney and urinary tract cleansers and it is a detox powerhouse. In fact, if you check the labels, you’ll see that most detox formulas on the market use the dandelions toxin eliminating properties in their products.

It’s time to rethink our relationship with the lowly dandelion… in an age where many are beginning to put forth the notion of lawns for food…. most of us already have an awesome ally and easy salad growing – whether we have a vegetable garden or not!

The following are some fascinating tidbits about dandelions.

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The dandelion is an immense support to the liver. Our livers perform more than 500 physiological functions. Just one of the function of the liver is as a detoxifying organ, and one reason the dandelion is a smart choice for liver health. Our livers do more in our bodies than we probably think. The dandelion contains a diversity of constituents that support, cleanse and protect the liver, including caffeic acid, which has been widely researched. Caffeic acid has considerable amount of research backing it’s liver protective qualities.
The dandelion also has sizable amounts of choline that stimulate the liver to replace damaged cells.
Dandelions contain considerable amounts of potassium that restore the balance in the kidneys as toxins are flushed out of the body.
The fiber in the whole plant is characterized as gelatinous because of its astonishing ability to absorb and transport toxins from the bowels out of the body, balance intestinal flora and soothe and alleviates the digestive tract
The essential oils within this ordinary, familiar and irritating weed are documented as having both bacteriostatic and fungistatic properties. Therefore, when on antibiotics, don’t eat dandelions.
Dandelions are practical and advantageous for high blood pressure, high cholesterol and unstable blood sugar levels. Studies have shown that the phytosterols in dandelions can help cholesterol levels.
The bitterness of the dandelion not only stimulates and encourages the digestive system but is also anti-inflammatory. It is a common ingredient in digestive bitters which enhance and stimulate the upper digestive system, including the pancreas and the bile duct. Because dandelions increase the stomach’s hydrochloric acid production, those with ulcers should refrain from eating dandelions for this reason.
For nursing moms, dandelions are a helpful lactation stimulant.[/box]

Probably the easiest way to enjoy dandelion is in a salad. Gather or purchase dandelion leaves and add to a spring salad mix. We love it with arugula, baby kale and romaine. No extra veggies in this salad, but sometimes we will throw in some finely diced red onions or shallots. We keep the dressing pretty clean – just olive oil with lemon juice or balsamic vinegar. It’s delicious.

I hope I piqued your interest after talking about Papou’s love of wilted sauteed dandelion greens, because I am sharing the recipe.

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Wilted Dandelion Greens

Ingredients

6 cups dandelion greens
4 tablespoons olive oil
pinch salt and pepper to taste
1 clove garlic
lemon juice, to taste

Preparation

Heat large high sided frying pan on medium heat. Add dandelion greens, olive oil and salt and pepper. Cover and let cook on low heat for 3-5 minutes until wilted. Drizzle with lemon juice and enjoy. [/box]

When life gives you dandelions… make dandelion lemonade tea! If you are not comfortable gathering your own dandelions (maybe you have to use herbicides on your lawn due to your HOA restrictions of weeds) then rest assured that you can find some great quality dandelion products here, here ,here and here. Have fun with your dandelions… they are uncommonly good for you!

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Dandelion Lemon Tea

Ingredients

1 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon dried dandelion leaves
lemon wedges for juice
1 teaspoon dried dandelion root
raw honey to taste (optional)

Pour boiling water over herbs. Cover and let steep 3 minutes. Stir and let steep another minute.[/box]

If you are looking for more dandelion recipes… check out these.

10 Ways to Use Dandelions

References

Chang, Louise MD. “5 Healthiest Food Choices to Live Longer and Better.” WebMD. June 14, 2014. http:// http://www.webmd.com/ diet/ features/ 5-foods-to-boost-your-health

Reyes, Maria T., Marisabel Mourelle, Enriquie Hong, and Pablo Muriel Ph.D.. “Caffeic acid prevents liver damange and amellorates liver fibrosis induced by CCI4 in the rat.” Wiley Online Library, June 14, 2014. http:// onlinelibrary.wiley.com/ doi/ 10.1002/ddr. 430360305/ abstract

Sanchez, Anita. “Ten Things You Might Not Know About Dandelions.” Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association. June 9, 2014. http:// http://www.mofga.org/ Default.aspx?tabid = 756