What’s up to all of our friends in the community!? Welcome to Beekeeping 101: Understanding the Art and Science Behind Honey Production with the Honey House Team. This post is part of the Beekeeping Basics Series we are doing over here at HHHQ. As we dive in please keep in mind that the intricacies of Beekeeping are vast, and all of the insights we give, we do so to help educate the world regardless of your experience levels in beekeeping!

Here at Honey House we have had the pleasure of being able to work with a number of beekeepers, and look forward to expanding our friend group, and working with a lot more! We truly have come to find that Beekeeping is an art and a science. It is the process of tending to and caring for the honeybee. Want to hear a wild thought? Beekeeping is one of the world’s oldest professions! And to this day it remains among the most cherished industries mainly for producing one of the most treasured substances in the world—HONEY!

The Honey Bee

Honey is a key ingredient in a lot of our favorite foods and drinks. It is also useful for its many health benefits! This is thanks to one of the most industrious and productive creatures, the honey bee. Simply put, they are amazing! They pollinate, protect the queen, and, most of the time, they make sweet, delicious honey.

Every bee has a role in keeping the beehive healthy. Both the queen and drones have specific purposes. The queen bee lays eggs and releases chemicals that command the colony. Drones primarily mate with the queen. The rest of the needed jobs are fulfilled by worker bees. Workers, or foragers, bees do more than just collect nectar, the raw ingredient for making honey. They also keep the hive clean and well-ventilated. Some of them are in charge of caring for the queen and her larvae. Most importantly, worker bees are responsible for producing honey.

Brief History of Beekeeping

Apiculture, or beekeeping, dates back around 9,000 years. Honey-gathering records were first seen in the Cave of the Spider near Valencia, Spain. The old paintings show humans in the Mesolithic era as the first honey gatherers.

Egyptians were some of the first to organize beekeeping practices. They had many uses for honey, from food to medicine, and even embalming. Because of the significance of honey during that time, they started to design hives that allowed them to manage bee colonies and collect honey.

Many references to the life and activities of bees were also found in ancient Greece. The most notable ones are those written by Aristotle, Theophrastus, and Aristomachus of Soli.

Aside from the Egyptians and Greeks, there are also existing records of beekeeping throughout the ancient Chinese, European Middle Ages, and Colonial Periods.

Beekeeping Basics | The Art and Science of Beekeeping

It is considered an art because science alone does not guarantee successful beekeeping. One has to have not only the beekeeping knowledge and skills required but also a deep appreciation for its importance in maintaining the delicate balance of nature!

Beekeepers have to provide a nurturing environment and tend to the colonies to ensure abundant access to nectar and pollen sources. They need to understand bee behavior and be mindful of their needs. You need to know about the different bee-rearing methods, including skills that will allow the safe handling of bees. If you can help the bees establish healthy colonies, sustainable honey production is a result.

In beekeeping a combination of art and science isn’t enough, you must add love to the equation! You raise bees because you love them enough to help them survive for future generations. One of our favorite aspects of working with the farms we do, is hearing the stories of how they are generational, or in the process of trying to create a generational farm.

Beekeeping Basics | Honey Production Process

Fun fact! There are still some societies that hunt for honey in the wild. For example the ethnic group of the Gurungs in Nepal hunt what is referred to as “mad honey” which we will definitely talk more about another time! The majority of honey production, however, is now from modern beekeeping practices.

Step 1: Nectar Collection and Processing

The remarkable journey of honey begins as the bees collect nectar from blooms. The nectar goes through the first round of enzymes in the bees’ honey stomach called the crop. During this time, most of the water is removed as the complex sugars are broken down into simple forms. The nectar processing continues as they are deposited in the hive. More bees work together to evaporate excess moisture by fanning their wings nonstop. Once the nectar is done with all the enzymatic and evaporation processes, it becomes a fully mature honey that is ready for storage.

Step 2: Harvesting Honey From the Hive

Caring for the bees though is only step one in the process. The beekeeper’s primary role in honey production is to collect honey from the combs. Aside from protective clothing, a smoker can help calm the bees as the apiarist takes the wooden frames that hold the honeycombs in artificial beehives.

The bees cover each honeycomb cell with wax to seal it off. The beekeeper has to scrape the top off using a hot knife to open the cells before loading the frames into the extractor. Honey drips from the combs as the frames repeatedly spin inside the extractor. One of the cool things about this method is that it does not destroy the combs so they can be placed back in the hives for bees to use again as honey storage.

Step 3: Processing and Storing Honey

There are many ways to process honey before storage. At Honey House we are advocates for raw honey! It is the most nutrient dense form in which you can enjoy honey. You get all of the benefits of the pollens, and propolis, and peace of mind not having to worry about any additional unnatural sweeteners.

While we try to shine a light on raw honey, we understand there are multiple methods to getting honey in the jar. Some beekeepers filter their honey after extraction. This process helps remove debris like wax, pollen, and propolis from the honey. Aside from filtration, some utilize heat to cleanse the honey through pasteurization. Although it can guarantee a clean supply of honey, heating can remove a lot of the natural properties of honey, and can even dilute the natural flavor profile. So keep in mind when you buy your next jar of honey, that the levels of processing determine the outcome of the product. From the flavor, to the texture, to the aroma, and the nutrient levels.

Takeaway

Honey bees play a significant role in biodiversity. We know that responsible beekeeping ensures their safety as they perform their roles in the wild and the hive. It can be a hobby that promotes an enjoyable time outdoors, and can perform as a profitable business model. Whether the interest stems from it being a healthy distraction or a source of income, the thing that is most remarkable about it is that beekeeping is such a rewarding experience!

The Honey House team hopes you have been able to find this to be informative. If you have any questions or have had some fun beekeeping experiences please reach out to us on our social media platforms, and tell us all about it. Let’s build a community!