Bit O' Honey arrives:)

Yes, my dear niece Jes arrived last Monday and started her "great adventure" of learning all about bees. We had a pretty hectic beginning of the week and didn't get a chance to get to market until Wednesday but boy was it great to have her give me a hand.

At the market downtown Dan (the market master), who thinks he is a comedian:) calls me honey, after he met Jes he gave her the name Bit O' Honey and you know what, I really like it and I think she does to. She went to the Westgate, Perrysburg and Downtown markets, helped me set up, sell, provide information and tear down. So her first experience was a market experience but I don't think that was a bad thing, it's all part of the process.

A week ago when Jim was in some of the hives he found that four of them were queen-less. No sign of babies anywhere, so we ordered some queens from California, but we had to wait until this week to get them. The girls arrived safely on Thursday and on Friday Jes and I headed out to the different yards to place them in their new homes. Because I value my life, (my brother would kill me if anything happened to his baby girl) I made sure that Jes had all the appropriate attire before we went into the hive. We checked all the hives that Jim was worried about and only two of them really needed new queens so that meant that we got to start two nucs (starter hives) in our home yard. Jes was amazed that the bees really had no interest in her while she was holding the frames. We spent most of the day driving from yard to yard and by the end of the day I think Jes had a new appreciation for what a beekeeper really does. While she had already experienced the market end of things I think having the chance to actually get in a hive and see what needed to be done gave her a better understanding of why Aunt Debbie looks so tired most of the time:)

Time for a break:)

Today is a day of reflection. Last night we went to Perrysburg for the very first time and I had a blast. I got the opportunity to meet a whole bunch of really nice folks and talked to a ton of kids who learned a little more about bees than they knew when they stopped at my booth. I realize that I love what I do, I love working with the bees and I love meeting folks and talking bee talk, I know there are a whole lot of people who aren't happy with what they do and that makes me appreciate what I do even more.:)

I did have one big disappointment last night, while I was closing up I dropped a whole case (12 - 2 lb.) jars of honey all over the sidewalk. I have to admit I was pretty stressed before I got there, worrying that I would have what people wanted, and worried that I wouldn't do great and just in general worried. The bee yard and what's going on there has also been on my mind as well. Anyway, I got sloppy, I placed the jars in a place I shouldn't have and whoosh down they went. It was late and there was not a store open. My friend Lori (Homestead Soaps) came down right away and gave me a hug and started to help me pick up all the glass. I was worried sick that little feet might end up coming in contact with my glass. We got it all up but no matter how much we tried there was no way for us to get the honey up. I used one of my display tablecloths and that didn't help at all. So all the way home once again I worried that the poor store owner would not be too happy with me. I sure wish there was something I could have done.

What did I learn? MMMMM. . . well, I have to sloooooow down, and I've got to figure out a better way to load and unload. It's just another challenge and lord knows, I've had my share and managed to overcome worse things. . . I'll ask Jim, he knows everything!

Gotta bottle some more honey and clean a few bee boxes before the night ends. I'm still getting comb honey boxes ready to put on the last few hives that I think that will produce comb this year. . . .

See you at market tomorrow:)

Exciting News

Well the locust trees and flowers are in full bloom. Boy do the bees love those locust trees. Anyway we have been so busy that we haven't had a chance to write in awhile and the more exciting news the busier we became. So enough action and time for a little talk.

We have a terrific market lineup this year. If you are interested in checking out our products or purchasing something just stop boy any of the following markets.

1. Tuesdays - Waterville Ohio - 4:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Right downtown across from the bank.
2. Wednesdays - Westgate Shopping Center - 3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. In front of Elder Beerman.
3. Thursdays - Perrysburg Ohio - 3:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. - Downtown on Lousiana Avenue.
4. Saturday - Toledo Farm Market - 7:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. - Across from the Lbbby Glass Factory.

Yes, we are going to be pretty busy and yes I'm going to be hopping from place to place but my brother is lending me my niece to help me out for a month so when you see Jessie down at the market with me make sure you say hello!!!

Ok, besides the market schedule we do have one new announcement!

Hot & Spicy Honey Mustard made it's debut on Saturday at the market. . . . it was short lived because within a short and I do mean short period of time every single last bottle was gone. Wow!!!! So guess what I'm doing today? Yep, I'm headed over to the commercial kitchen to bottlle more hot & spicy Honey Mustard. . . .

I really wasn't sure how it would go over in the market and when I left a squeeze bottle on the counter for Jim to try last week and he called his mom up to brag about how great this mustard was I had a feeling that it might end up being a good thing. Jim does not mince words, and Jim would never say he liked something if he didn't. His honesty is a good thing, if he just tried to make me feel good I'd be making stuff that would never sell and that would not be a good thing.

Here is the funniest thing I observed about the people who stopped to buy our mustard. . . . Mustard is a real guy thing. I do get couples who stop at the table and buy things but it is usually the women who lead the way. I stuck the honey mustard on the corner of the table, not real noticeable but stacked nicely. I don't think one guy who happened to be walking by, just walked by, they usually stopped, tasted, and bought. I even had one guy go find his buddies, drag them back to my table and have them try my mustard. I'm not saying that women were not interested in it, what I'm saying it that for the first time there were a whole lot more men who actually ventured towards the table voluntarily. . . .

I was going to upload a picture of the mustard but I don't have a single squeeze bottle left in the house to photograph. Hopefully by the time I put this head down on my pillow I'll have a picture to share with you.

The other great news is that Jim is putting on a honey house with a commercial kitchen for me. Right now to process and pack our products I have to pay someone to use their commercial kitchen. We have a license to pack our products but we currently have to use space that has been approved by the state. You have no idea how much that will help me out. No more trips back and forth. No more hauling equipment in and out. . . Yippee. He says he will have in finished by mid July. Stay tuned.