Keeping honeybees today is a challenge. Just ask a beekeeper that stewards some beehives today. Challenges are not new to beekeeping. They’ve been around since humans started keeping bees. But, the set of challenges that demand a beekeeper’s attention continue to evolve and change. In this first post of several more to come on this topic, I am going to talk about the 4 P’s and why beekeepers should be concerned about them. Every beekeeper must develop a roadmap when it comes to his/her plans on keeping honeybees. The 4 P’s deserve attention. I hope that this series of posts will help give you some food for thought. Are you wondering what the 4 P’s are? Let’s get started and look at them. PATHOGENS With the circumstances that beekeepers find themselves in today, sick bees should always be a big concern. There is literally a myriad of diseases that affect our honeybees. These diseases come from numerous sources. The onset of disease within hives can result in the total loss of a honeybee colony. It’s very important to be aware of pathogens and being able to confront issues should disease set in. PARASITES Like your pet dog or cat, beehives can be attractive places for pests. Most pests that may be found in a beehive depend on the honeybees themselves, wax, honey, or pollen for survival. Some hive pests can threaten a honeybee colonies’ survival in short order. If hive parasites are ignored, disaster will likely be the result. POOR NUTRITION The face of the land in the United States will continue to change. Animals and insects are dependent upon the land for food and water. Honeybees, more specifically, depend on nectar and pollen sources offered by the landscape adjacent to their hives. When the land doesn’t provide the amount and variety of food resources needed by a colony, poor nutrition of the beehive can be the result. Poor nutrition can also occur because of other factors. (More on that in a future post.) Bee nutrition is a very important concern and should not be overlooked. PESTICIDES This is the last of the 4 P’s and it’s my guess that pesticides won’t need a whole lot of justification in order to be mentioned. Honeybees that are kept in urban areas as well as rural, agricultural landscapes may be threatened by their use. There are things that the beekeeper can do to help minimize their threat upon beehives.  Pathogens, Parasites, Poor Nutrition, and Pesticides deserve a beekeeper’s concern and attention. In future posts, I will talk about each one. Stay tuned – there is lots more to come as I talk on the 4 P’s!

Honey Kiwi Raspberry Fruit Dip INGREDIENTS 1 Ripe Kiwi, Peeled and Diced 1/2 cup Unsweetened Frozen Raspberries 1/2 Cup Pure Honey 8 oz. Low Fat Vanilla Yogurt DIRECTIONS In a food processor, combine kiwi, raspberries and honey then puree. Stir in yogurt and chill. Serve with fresh fruit.

Several years ago, I traveled to Vermont to work with well-known beekeeper Mike Palmer. Mike is a tremendously successful beekeeper and founder of French Hill Apiaries. Although my stay there was brief, lasting only about 1 week, I learned and enjoyed a lot. Mike was a great host and the trip will never be forgotten. Even more, I left Vermont with a big appreciation for honey with a distinct vanilla accent. That’s where this story begins. It was a beautiful, sunny day in upstate Vermont as Mike and I drove across Lake Champlain to work in some beeyards on the lake’s west side. When we reached the beeyard and climbed out of the truck, I quickly realized that a nectar flow was in full swing. The calming buzz of bees filled the air and it really felt like I was at home once again. Quickly, Mike and I began tasks that he wanted to get done. Surprisingly, the very first task that Mike addressed was to disconnect the electric fence that protected this beeyard. Bears are an ever-present threat to Mike’s bees. The remedy is bear proof electric fence. So, I learned throughout the week that bear fencing is almost always an important element in preventing the bears from destroying whole yards of beehives. It was definitely something foreign to me as I was not used to dealing with disconnecting bear fences. In Ohio, that is not a concern for the most part. An inspiration was soon to come as Mike and I started to undertake some bee management tasks that morning. As Mike and I were involved doing different things, I heard Mike shout out to me and summon me over. As I approached where he was, he popped a chunk of comb honey in his mouth. He quickly mumbled “uuummm – yep that is good!” Now, I know that Mike knew that I had tasted plenty of honey over the years with my beekeeping. I thought, something is up with this! He quickly scraped up another chunk of comb honey with his hive tool and gave it to me saying “Try this.” After popping the chunk in my mouth and savoring the flavor, it wasn’t long before I could taste something different about this honey. Mike was waiting for my response. My response was “Mike, I have never tasted honey like this before. It’s different and it’s so good. I am tasting a vanilla accent.” Mike grinned and said, “Yep, that is how I describe this honey.” I looked at the plants and trees surrounding the beeyard and could see that the bees were focused on collecting nectar from clusters of flowers on woody bushes. It had been quite some time since I had last seen these woody bushes. I asked Mike “Is this honey from those bushes that look like Staghorn Sumac?” Mike responded yes and that the bushes were Staghorn Sumac. At that point, I wouldn’t forget about the taste of that savory, distinctive honey with an appealing vanilla accent. In the back of my mind, I wanted more of this honey from the Staghorn Sumac bloom. That desire drove me to inspiration. It would be my goal to eventually try to mimic the taste of this unforgettable honey. Today, Prairie Ridge Honey Farm now offers a new product that mimics the taste of Staghorn Sumac honey. Spun honey with vanilla bean is now available. I can truly say that this spun honey was inspired in Vermont and born in Ohio. You now know that story. Here is how Mike Palmer describes Staghorn Sumac and the honey it produces. "Good honey plant, but not entirely dependable. Weather has to be just right and colonies strong. When it yields, the honey has a mild, vanilla flavor." Our spun honey with vanilla bean is available on our website here - just click on "Our Products." www.prhoneyfarm.com If you would like to share a review on our spun honey with vanilla bean, please send us a message. If you submit a review and we share it, we will keep your name and personal information completely confidential. Thanks!

If you have read parts 1 through 3, you most likely will have a better understanding of honey and what may happen to it behind the scenes before it is bottled. If you haven’t read those blogs, this post offers you a shortcut to all of the information in a nutshell. You won’t find lengthy explanations in support of my short summaries below. You can find that information within my first blogs - "Let's Talk About Honey - Parts1,2 and 3. Honey can be screened (strained) or filtered. Both involve different processes. Filtered honey has more of its naturally occurring components removed. Screened honey is honey that carries with it more of its naturally occurring components. Less desirable components such as wax pieces and propolis are removed. Grains of pollen should remain in screened honey. Screened honey can be a very attractive product, even though it has not went through more intense filtering processes. Honey can be subjected to flash heating – a quick and intense elevating of its temperature. Higher intensity heat is often used by larger volume honey packers during their honey processing. Convenience is one of the reasons packers use it. Honey that has not been subjected to flash heating is a very wholesome and safe product. In fact, it may be preferred over flash heated honey. Fermentation of honey is caused by elevated moisture levels and the presence of yeast. Honey fermentation can be avoided. High moisture honey should not be bottled if the end goal is to provide a product of the highest standard. True raw honey has not been exposed to highly elevated temperatures. Raw honey, because of the way that it is handled, offers more healthful benefits over commercially processed honey. Be aware of what honey labels state. It is a very simple matter to print anything on a label. Honey can be misrepresented by its label without the consumer knowing the truth. In order to avoid falsely marketed honey, buy your raw honey from a proven reputable source or buy it locally from a well-respected beekeeper. I hope that you have enjoyed the first 4 posts – "Let’s Talk About Honey." Stay tuned – there’s more to come!

A holiday ham recipe with a pineapple and honey glaze.

Recipe - Honey Gingerbread Cookies

Raw Honey - A special product I truly feel that any conversation about honey would not be complete without talking about raw honey. Raw honey, these days, seems to be an ever-growing, popular buzz term – with good reason. Confusion can go along with the use of the term “raw honey”. There is no better time than now to dive head first into explaining what raw honey is and what it is not. Welcome to “Let’s Talk About Honey – Part 3”! I will lead off with a question – “What is raw honey and why does it get special acclaim? Let me answer the second part of the question first. Raw honey is honey that offers the consumer benefits in the form of naturally occurring proteins, enzymes, amino acids, vitamins and anti-allergens in the form of microscopic pollen grains. Flavonoids and phenolic acids are also present in raw honey. Research continues to point to the health benefits that may result from the consumption of raw honey. Raw honey has not been subjected to high temperature heat processing methods. Raw honey should never be confused with other honey that may be offered by grocery stores or larger honey packing companies. Raw honey undergoes minimal preparation before it is bottled which helps to preserve its naturally occurring components. Now, let’s talk about what raw honey is. The word raw does relate to how foods are processed. You will find a number of definitions when you look this word up in a dictionary. My focus will be on food and how raw is used in that situation. Quickly, you will find that raw foods are described as not cooked or uncooked. The National Honey Board describes raw honey as “honey as it exists in the beehive or as obtained by extraction, settling or straining without adding heat that would exceed the temperature honey is subjected to while in the hive.” Note that heat and temperature have been emphasized in this description of raw honey. My past references to flash heating or high temperature heating (Let’s Talk About Honey – Part 2) have provided much needed clarity as we now focus on raw honey. Everyone should now be gaining a better idea of what raw honey is. But, let’s take a moment to better understand what excessive heat and temperatures are in the hive. It really boils down to using some common sense and knowing what is normally expected in a beehive. All honey that is stored in the beehive is exposed to elevated temperatures during warmer seasons of the year. Here are some quick facts. -The bees maintain the brood nest temperature at about 95 deg F -Honey supers (boxes) are almost always placed on hives in the uppermost portions of the hive. -Heat that builds up in the hive naturally rises. So, during warmer weather, it is easy to see that honey stored in the top portions of the hive will experience some infrequent upward fluctuations in temperature ….. above 95 deg F. In my hives, I have monitored these temperatures and know that this temperature increase does occur. The final key point that I will make continues along this same line of thinking. Honey that is warmed to temperatures slightly above 95 deg F can justifiably be labeled as raw honey. Honey that is heated to extreme high temperatures cannot rightfully qualify as raw honey. High temperature heating destroys the healthful, beneficial components. It remains arguable as to what temperature(s) qualify as "high heat." However, I will again emphasize that temperature fluctuations surpassing 95 deg F do occur in beehives, commonly in the upper levels. I have not seen any references that specifically list what the maximum summer temperature is in the upper boxes of a beehive. I feel that this has been avoided due to the regional temperature differences that occur across the United States. Summer temperatures vary broadly depending on where your beehives are located. There are other variable factors that influence hive temperatures as well. But I will avoid going further on that topic. Ethical beekeepers that market "raw honey" will avoid warming honey to the extreme. With that said, my general point should be clear. As I wind this post up, I have some closing thoughts and advice. Efforts to convince you (the consumer) that a container of honey is indeed “raw” can involve many things. Sometimes, these efforts are downright crazy! One example that comes to mind involves bottling honey that is partially or fully crystalized, has wax fragments and other foreign matter suspended in it, and may perhaps have bee parts in it also. If you are shaking your head at this point, believe me - I am with you! Contrary to what some people may tell you, raw honey can be a very eye appealing product. Be aware that it is a simple matter to add the word “raw” to a honey label. Unfortunately, it is way too easy for honey processors and vendors to misrepresent and mislead honey consumers. Ultimately, if your goal is to avoid this, buy your raw honey from a proven reputable source or buy it locally from a well-respected beekeeper. This post has been brought to you by Prairie Ridge Honey Farm – a perfect source for genuine, raw Ohio honey. Stay tuned for the next post on "Let's Talk About Honey - Part 4!"

Heating It Up – Honey That Is Food processing along with the addition of high heat have been companions for hundreds of years. Some quick examples include pasteurized milk, soups, and fruit juices. But the list of heat processed foods does not stop there. It may surprise you that honey, in some cases, is high heat processed too. Typically, this heating process is known as flash heating. High temperature heat processing (flash heating) of honey is a process born more out of convenience used by larger, commercial sized honey packers. However, honey that is not flash heated is by no means disqualified as a high-quality food fit for your table. So, it’s time to look more closely at high heat processed honey and some questions that may arise. There are motivations behind the use of the flash heating process as you will soon find out. Also, there are end affects with honey that is flash heated. But it’s worth repeating that honey of the highest quality can be produced without high temperature heat processing. In fact, some honey connoisseurs prefer honey that has not been “heated up”. With that said, I welcome you to Let’s Talk About Honey – Part 2. In this post, honey processing methods using high heat will be visited and what major after affects can be expected with honey as a result of using flash heating. So, without further delay, let’s visit this topic further.  The heat processing of some foods has been around for a long, long time. One of the most common high heat food processing applications is well known – the pasteurization of milk. When milk undergoes pasteurization, it is rapidly heated and then stored. Methods can vary in order to accomplish the process but it is a requirement that the milk’s temperature be elevated significantly by heat. Typically milk temperatures are raised to 145 degrees F for 30 minutes or to 160 to 180 degrees for 15 seconds. The desirable results of high heat pasteurized milk include longer shelf life as well as the elimination of disease-causing microorganisms. High heat processing procedures are recruited in other food processing arenas as well. My daughter works at a plant that processes frozen fruits where the end product is fruit syrup. In a recent discussion that I had with her; she described the process that was used pretty elaborately. She reported that once the juice/syrup is separated from the frozen fruit, it undergoes a cooking process. The syrup is brought rapidly to a temperature of 160 degrees to 180 degrees F for 15 to 20 seconds and then is rapidly cooled. The syrup is then stored in air tight storage containers where exposure to open air is eliminated. The end product is fruit syrup that is sterilized once it enters the storage phase. You should take note of this process as there are close similarities between fruit syrup and honey. Both fruits and honey contain sugars as well as yeast. Herein lies the relationship between fruit syrup and honey. The threat of fermentation is a concern with both products due to the presence of yeast in combination with high water content (moisture). Sugars in the presence of yeast can ferment if moisture levels are higher. Without yeast, there would be little concern about this fermentation process of sugars. The bottom line is that high moisture honey can ferment. I will add that fermentation can largely be avoided even when high heat processing is not used. Commercial, high volume honey packers commonly employ high heat processing. In most cases, the methods used to accomplish high heat treatment are nearly the same of the fruit syrup manufacturer that my daughter works for. My daughter called the heat phase of the process cooking. In the honey processing plant that uses high heat procedures, this phase of treatment is called flash heating. Flash heating involves rapidly raising the temperature of the honey to around 160 degrees F for a short period of time and then rapidly cooling it down. There are a number of reasons why flash heating is used by the bigger honey packing companies. time savings in bottling (honey flows more easily – more bottles can be filled in a shorter time frame) yeast is killed (reducing the chances of fermentation when high moisture honey is harvested and bottled) speeds up the micro filtering process as heated honey passes much more easily through microscopic filters permits the harvest and bottling of higher moisture honey (a lesser quality product may be the result) liquefies honey crystals that are present At this point, you may have some questions about high temperature heated (flash heated) honey. Let’s visit some of the more important ones that may be of concern to you, the consumer. Are beneficial components present in honey after high heat treatment? Answer: When honey is flash heated, most if not all of the beneficial components will be killed/eliminated. Although yeast is killed, the naturally present beneficial ones will be eliminated during flash heating too. Can you consume honey that is not flash heated and trust it as a safe product to eat? Answer: Absolutely yes! An example of a natural honey product at this forefront is comb honey. It is 100% natural and offers many benefits due to its unaltered state. Studies have shown that honey that is not flash heated is more beneficial due to the presence of these naturally occurring, healthy components. Can fermentation be a problem with honey that is not flash heated? Answer: Yes, it is potentially a problem – but only in certain situations. When honey is harvested, handled, and stored appropriately, fermentation is not a major concern at all. One of the most important factors that a honey processor must pay close attention to is the moisture content of the honey that is intended to be bottled or stored. That point cannot be stressed enough. A beekeeper or honey packer cannot expect to offer honey of the highest quality when high moisture honey is bottled. At Prairie Ridge Honey Farm, honey moisture levels are continually measured and monitored during honey harvesting operations. We do not bottle high moisture honey. Generally speaking, the moisture content of harvested honey should be about 18.6 % and ideally below that. This helps to maintain a honey product of the highest quality. In ending this post, I will admit that I have simplified some of the content. My goal was to give you a better basic perspective of high heat processing and what to expect with the end honey product. Stay tuned for “Let’s Talk About Honey – Part 3 . It will be thought provoking!

When you are in the market to buy honey, what do you look for? With that question, I want you to ignore things like the size/volume of the container, the variety, the source country (origin), color, and the state of the honey itself. My question focuses on the way that the honey has been harvested and handled - from the time that it was removed from the bee hive until the time that is placed into a bottle for the customer. You may not even care, but the potential differences between the honey that is offered to the shopper may be surprising! There are many words that are used to describe how honey is processed ……. Or not. It’s not unusual to find words like unpasteurized, pasteurized, strained, unfiltered, raw, and natural on the label. But understanding what these words actually mean is more confusing than one may think. When honey producers select a phrase or word to put on the label of their honey, it is an attempt to better inform the potential customer about what processes (if any) the honey has went through before it was bottled. Although, however well-intentioned this may be, there can still be confusion about the honey unless consumers understand the true meaning of all this terminology. So, welcome to Part 1 – “Let’s Talk About Honey”. In this article, I will be focused on several terms related to the filtering/straining procedures that are potentially used during honey extraction processes. Those terms include screening and filtering. There is a big difference between the two! After the honey is harvested from the frames of a beehive box, there will be some foreign matter that remains in the honey. The majority of this foreign matter is either bits of wax or small chunks of propolis. Since the end goal is to bottle pure honey without this foreign matter, either screening or filtering is recruited in the process to do the job. That is so important that I want to repeat that point once again – “ Screening and Filtering are two different animals altogether!” Both procedures use different equipment arrangements and the ending honey product is different as well. First let’s address what filtering is, why it is done, and how it affects the honey product in the end. The honey filtering process involves pushing honey by pressure through filters that have nearly microscopic openings. Commercial honey producers will commonly use filters that have a size 50 micron opening or close to that. This is a significant point that will be brought up later on. Filtering is included as part of the process (commonly used by large honey packing companies) so that a minimum amount of foreign matter remains in the honey as it is bottled. It is a preferred process by the large honey packing companies as it may hinder some honey crystallization short term. Honey that is filtered will likely have nearly all of its naturally occurring pollen removed!! More on that later. Next, lets take a look at straining or screening. Straining is a term that is more easily understood and used by the consumer, not the beekeeper. Beekeepers use the term screening in place of straining. Both are used to describe the same process. Since I am a beekeeper, I will use the term “screening” from here on. The screening process involves passing the extracted honey through circular bowl-shaped screens in order to separate out the wax and propolis pieces/chunks. Beekeepers rely on gravity to move the honey slowly through screens. Screens are readily available in 200 micron, 400 micron, and 600 micron opening sizes. The higher the micron opening size, the larger the opening. Screens are very efficient at removing the large pieces of foreign matter. Generally, most foreign matter visible to the naked eye will be removed and the honey will be nearly crystal clear. I utilize a double screen setup to separate the foreign matter from the honey that my bees produce. My screen opening sizes are 400 microns and 600 microns. After screening, my honey is ready to bottle for the customer. Now, it’s time to revisit the use of filters, typically 50 microns in opening size. Again, filters are typically used by larger commercial honey bottling companies. Today, many folks seek out honey because it can be used homeopathically as an anti-allergen. Almost all honey that has not been filtered will have pollen present in it. Most grains of pollen range in size from 50 microns to 100 microns. So, it is easy to recognize that filtering removes virtually all of the pollen from honey. However, on the other hand, honey that has been screened will retain the pollen that occurs in it. It is worthy to note that the naked eye cannot see particles (objects) smaller than 60 to 70 microns in size. So, most likely, you will not be able to see the pollen grains that are present in honey. If you are seeking honey that has pollen in it, look for honey that has not been filtered. The honey label should read “unfiltered”. That is it for Part 1. Stay tuned for “Let’s Talk About Honey – Part 2!