We Spotted Eggs, did some cleaning & MAQS!

Today was the first nice day since...well...ever! (this season!) Last week's blizzard gave us FEET of snow but it's mostly gone now and it was in the mid 60's! This gave us a chance to open up the hive, look through all of the frames, and clean all the winter "crud" out of the bottom board. We opened up all the entrances and Dad put in a couple Mite Away Quick Strips (MAQS). So, we had to take off the feeder pail for this week...they weren't taking much from it anyway. They have been loving the pollen patties though and are bringing in pollen from somewhere! Our friend who's land the bees are on says there have been tons of bees on their compost pile...interesting! They must be finding something tasty there!

We scraped off some goofy comb which you can see in the video in hopes they will follow the pattern in the foundation when they rebuild, except for one frame that had eggs in the goofy comb. So, good news, we know the queen is the top box and she's doing her thing. No capped brood yet though so we are early on in spring's baby bees! Next week we plan to take off the MAQS's, do a reversal (put the top box on bottom, and bottom on top) and put the feeder pail back on. Once we get more frames of eggs, larvae and capped brood, we may be able to do a divide! (turn the one hive into two) We also expect to have a NUC in the next week or two, to put in the other empty stack. Stay tuned! In the meantime, here's a video of what we did today!!

Crystallized Honey: What does it mean, Will heat damage it, and how do I liquify it?

What started out as a simple blog post on how to de-crystallize honey has turned into somewhat of a research project on the affects of heating honey.  You see, I'm from probably the last generation who grew up with a set of Encyclopedias in their house, and did the bulk of their research in school using encyclopedias, card catalogs and newspapers on microfilm...yet have fully and willingly surrendered these methods in favor of the endless resources that the internet now provides. This combination makes me want to seek out the facts, but not blindly believe everything I read on the internet...even if it is what I want to hear and what I initially thought was correct. So, when researching the effects of heat on honey, I was frustrated to find that all the blog posts I read seemed to simply reference each other....none actually referencing any actual research or facts. Now I was in no way out to disprove anyone else's articles, but I wanted to create my own, find my own evidence, and not just relay "what I've heard." If you're considering sending me an angry email, please do! I am not an experienced beekeeper...I'm only a couple years in, and still trying to take in all the knowledge I can! I'm not set in my ways, and welcome more education. (If delivered in a kind, constructive way of course!) I'm just out to separate fact from opinions. So if you do email me, please include some links to any factual proof you have, because I'd frankly rather prove myself wrong here! ;-)

As you'll read below, the controversy lies in the fact that some believe heating honey at too high of a temperature denatures the enzymes and hurts the natural antioxidants in honey.  I actually set out with hopes of validating these claims in this post.  After all, any evidence that encourages people to handle this precious, beautiful substance with extreme, loving care is going to be willingly accepted by we beekeepers who adore our bees and relish the laborious process of harvesting honey!! But, I've been unable to find any research to support the fact that overheating damages the nutritional content, or even that local pollen is beneficial for those with seasonal allergies.  Like I said, if you have evidence of these claims, please let me know so I can update this blog! ;-) 

Here's what I've found that I didn't expect to, and the thing I initially set out to explain: how to make your solid honey liquid again.  

So your jar of honey has crystallized. What do you do? Before you stick it in the microwave...STOP! Don't ever microwave your honey! Besides running the risk of melting the bottle (if it's plastic), burning or darkening the color of the honey, microwaving honey can destroy the pollen content. Since many people purchase local honey for the benefits of it's pollen, this would defeat the purpose of purchasing local, raw honey. This, too, is up for debate, which I'll address later on.

Has my honey "gone bad?"

First, know that if your honey has gone solid, there is nothing wrong with it.  It has not spoiled, or lost any of it's healthy benefits. On the contrary, crystallization is a sign that you have real, pure and natural honey. Some people actually prefer crystallized honey...it's still delicious to spread on toast, and easy to scoop into your tea and measure for recipes! However, if you like your gold more liquid, read on to find out how to make it smooth & clear again.

Why does honey crystallize in the first place?

Older honey will be more crystallized than more recently harvested honey, right? Nope! Not necessarily. I have honey from 2016 that is just now starting to crystallize, while honey from our 2017 season started crystallizing by Christmas, less than 2 months from extraction! (see below) They were stored in the same area, same containers, with the colonies on the same location of the same property.

If possible, don't wait for it to turn as hard & white as the bottle on the right. If it does, it's okay, it'll just take longer to liquify. It's better to just leave it as-is until you're going to actually use it, because repeatedly warming it over and over will cause it to start losing it's flavor. If you find you're having to continually liquify your honey, it may be best to repackage it in smaller containers, freeze them, and thaw as needed instead.

Here is a blog post that I thought did a good job explaining what makes some honey crystallize faster than others.  But to sum it up, the speed at which honey crystallizes depends mostly on the fructose to glucose ratio.  The more glucose there is, the faster it will crystallize. It can also crystallize faster if there has been less filtration...if there are any little bits of anything in the honey (pollen bits, propolis, wax, etc), that provides a place for crystals to begin forming on. How you store your honey and what you store it in can also be a factor. Storing it in cooler temperatures and/or in containers that provide more air exchange (like plastic vs glass) can speed up the crystallization process. The bees themselves even have a hand in how fast it crystallizes, based on the type of pollen they bring in. Honey made with alfalfa, dandelion, star thistle, lavender and clover tend to crystallize quicker and smoother, while pollen from maple, blackberry, linden and black locust crystallize slower and chunkier! Again, while all of these are factors in the speed of crystallization, none of them are bad.

Does too much heat damage my honey?

Honey can be liquified again with heat, but you have to be careful how much. The reasons I'd recommend against microwaving honey all together are that it's too easy to burn it, it may not be healthy to do so depending on the type of bottle you have it in (if it's plastic), and it can reduce the pollen content, if that is a concern to you.

Damage to Enzymes & Antioxidants...

The ideal temperature to liquify honey at is debatable. Like most things in beekeeping, this seems to be one of those topics where there are as many opinions as there are beekeepers! I've read that at 140 degrees, caramelization will begin, which is basically the sugars burning. I think we can all agree that we don't want to burn our precious honey. 120 degrees is the temp at which many people believe to be the maximum temperature to liquify honey. Some say do not exceed 104 degrees. Others say that 105-115 degrees is the ideal temperature. Either way, heating your honey too high is basically processing it, so you can technically no longer call it "raw." The National Honey Board defines "raw honey" as "honey as it exists in the beehive or as obtained by extraction, settling or straining without adding heat." While there is no legal authority behind the definition, and they don't specify what temperature constitutes "processing" either, it is meant to help people form some definition of raw vs processed honey.

However, in all the research I've done, while most beekeepers say heating your honey too high will destroy enzymes and antioxidants, I have yet to find a source that cites any actual studies to prove this. (If you have evidence to the contrary, PLEASE email me! I'm still learning about all of this, hope to continually update this post, and welcome more research!) The National Honey Board, however, does site research studies, and says that heating does not damage these enzymes...but it does reduce the pollen content:

"A 2012 study by the National Honey Board analyzed vitamins, minerals and antioxidant levels in raw and processed honey. The study showed that processing significantly reduced the pollen content of the honey, but did not affect the nutrient content or antioxidant activity, leading the researchers to conclude that the micronutrient profile of honey is not associated with its pollen content and is not affected by commercial processing."

Damage to Pollen Content...

Since many people purchase local, raw honey specifically for the benefit of it's local pollen, often times to help combat allergies, then overheating honey still is not a good idea! Of course, even this claim still doesn't seem to have any scientific backing. The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology also states (citing a study on the topic) that there is no scientific proof that local honey will improve your seasonal allergies. The airborne pollen that makes us sneeze comes from trees, grasses and weeds that are not pollinated by bees, so if they do happen to bring any into the hive, it is not on purpose and the amount is negligible.

Sigh...but if you've tried it and it's helped you, I say keep it up! I'll always lean toward enjoying more honey, no matter what the reason! ;-)

Now let's get off these controversial topics and back to liquifying your honey bottle...

How do I liquify my crystallized honey? 

So, the FACTS so far are:

- Too much heat can cause the sugars in honey to burn
- Too much heat can melt plastic bottles
- Heating to de-crystallize too many times can affect the flavor of the honey
- Microwaving bottles that are not BPA free is generally not a good idea
- Too much heat will lower the pollen content (whether you believe this is bad or not...)

These for me are enough reasons to still heat your honey slowly and carefully. It can take hours or even days, depending on the size of the jar and how crystallized it is, but if there's anything that beekeeping has taught me is that the best things come to those who wait, and don't rush things! So to be extra safe, if it's going to take a while anyway, and you'd still like to keep that pollen content as-is, take it low and slow at 104 or less. After all, the worst that will happen if you keep the temps at the lower end is that it will take a little longer.

Stovetop Method

The way I've use most frequently to liquify honey is to heat up a pot of water, take it off the burner, and set your jar in the water (with the lids off both the pot and the honey jar). Stirring the honey will help speed things up a bit, but I find just leaving it sit for a while works, and repeating the process if needed until all of the crystals dissolve. Just be sure to watch that temperature!

Crock Pot Method

This is not enough water...I added more after the pic. ;-) Here I've set my thermometer to give me an alarm if the water reaches 104 degrees.

Another way to heat your honey is with the crock pot, which is the latest method I've personally been trying. Set your jars in a crock pot, fill water to about 2/3 the height of the shortest bottle (so you don't get water in the honey), and set it on the lowest setting. (in my case, "warm") Do NOT put the cover on the crock pot, or the honey! Be sure to keep an eye on the temperature and turn it off if it does get too hot. I have a great little thermometer that I can set so an alarm will go off if it reaches a certain temperature. My crock pot does get too hot, even on the "warm" setting, so I'll turn it off a while, then back on again later to keep it warm but not too warm. Technically you want to watch the temperature of the honey itself, not the water.  But since the honey is not going to heat up at the exact same rate as the water, I put my thermometer in the water as an extra precaution. That way if the alarm goes off, I know I still have a ways before the honey itself gets too hot.

How can I prevent my honey from crystallizing in the first place?

The best way is simply to enjoy it before it does crystallize! But the ideal temperature to store your honey is between 70 and 80 degrees F if you want to keep it runny.

If you've just liquified your crystallized honey, make sure you've gotten all of the crystals to dissolve...if you leave any in your honey, it will cause it to re-crystallize more quickly.

You can also freeze honey, which keeps it from crystallizing in the first place. Freezing it in amounts that you feel you can consume before it starts to crystallize again is smart, so if you tend to use it slowly, freeze it in small amounts that can be thawed and consumed before it crystallizes.


But I like it crystallized...how can I make my honey crystallize faster?

Storing your honey between 52 and 64 degrees will make it crystallize faster.  How fast of course still depends on all the many factors that affect the speed of crystallization, but this is one of those factors you can control. You can also help it along by giving it some particles to start forming crystals on, by scooping some already crystallized honey into your jar of runny honey.

Please share your research!

So, there you have it. I certainly didn't expect to find any research that conflicted with what I've read on so many blogs, and certainly don't want to make any beekeeping enemies, but had to share what I've found that seemed to be the most backed by evidence. My hope is that this opens up some sort of dialog, and those who may have some other research will share! I have a feeling this blog post will be changing over time though as I keep researching and learning more! After all, I still consider myself a total new-bee!!

Thanks for stopping by! :-)

Cleaning & Feeding the Bees

Today was our little break in cold and snow before the next crazy April snowstorm strikes, so we took the opportunity to check the bees and take off winter covers! We took apart Beeatrice's stack since they didn't make it. Dad is going to take a couple deeps home to clean and prepare for the nuc we're planning to get late April or early May, and we left one box there so it'll be ready to go.

Penelobee's colony is looking great! Dad re-positioned what was left of the pollen patties towards the center of the box where they seem to be eating more, and then we added a little sugar syrup to the pail.  We'll be back in another week or two, when we get past this next snow and things start to hopefully stay above freezing for good!

My Latest Project: Honeybee Painting!

Last month I was lying in bed about to fall asleep and this idea came to me for a painting. I wanted to get one of my dad's old, wood frames (he wants to replace them with fresh, plastic ones, but I think they are COOL and they have his name "P.T.Bee" branded in them), and create a painting of a frame of bees that is framed INSIDE a real frame.

Well, it took no more than a text to Dad and next time I saw him he not only had a frame for me, but a piece of masonite cut to fit!

I used a iridescent white paint for the wings which I think added a cool effect...the wings catch the light just like the real thing!

 Here are a few progress pics...

We missed the deadline to order a new package of bees this year, but I'm so glad we did! Right now the lake is still frozen, ground is completely covered in snow and it's snowing more. Those who ordered bees from our regular source picked them up yesterday, and will now have to keep them indoors until the weather warms up, hoping they don't all die! :-( So, we will be trying a nuc instead this year, which usually are ready early May...in the meantime, the bees are hopefully enjoying their sugar syrup and pollen patties! We'll check in again once April feels more like April!

Thanks for stopping by!