Category: Honey

  • Thank you!

    Thank you!

    2015 has been an exciting year in beekeeping. I started the 2014-2015 winter with ten hives, over wintering seven hives, losing three. Easter brought me my first swarm call of the year. One day, I had 4 hive inspecitions, queen cell removal and installation, and 3 swarm calls. That was a busy day! The blackberry…

  • A Honeycomb Frame For A Wedding

    A Honeycomb Frame For A Wedding

    I received a text from Lisa Phillips of Round Tuit Farms asking if I have a perfect frame of honey with nice fresh white cappings for someone who wanted a full frame of honeycomb for a wedding. I had just brought in a box of honey comb to process – so yes, I did and just…

  • Harvested The Last Dugualla Honey

    This year I’m bottling (jarring?) my Whidbey Island honey locations separately. Yesterday I harvested the last pull of honey from the Dugualla hives. Just one box, 22 jars so far and I might get another jar or two out of this batch (I don’t heat my honey, so it flows a bit slowly). Earlier in…

  • Strawberries and Honey – Perfection!

    Was eating strawberries out of the garden and for some reason, chocolate dipped strawberries came to mind. I didn’t have any chocolate – but I did have my Whidbey Island honey. Wow! The combination was perfect! (yeah, I had to snap a pic!)

  • Whidbey Honey – Now By Region!

    New for 2015, in addition to our Blackberry Honey, we have our “Whidbey Regionals“. Shady Lane Bees has hives at different locations here on Whidbey Island and each location has it’s own set of pollen and nectar sources in the vicinity. Each providing their own distinctive aroma and flavors. (in approximate order of prevalence) Deception…

  • Whidbey Island Comb Honey

    Whidbey Island Comb Honey

    We have cut comb honey in limited amounts and it will be available at the Oak Harbor and Coupeville Farmers Markets starting July 23rd! Each package of comb honey weighs from 9-12 ounces and are from foundationless honey comb completely drawn out by the bees, filled with nectar and converted to honey by Whidbey Island…

  • Harvesting Honey and Raising Queens

    Harvesting Honey and Raising Queens

    With the Whidbey Island wild blackberries pretty much done, it is almost time to harvest honey. In fact I did harvest some honey from one of the backyard hives. A nice taste, strong honey with a slightly spicy touch at the end. Lighter in color from last year though. Always interesting to see how it…

  • The 2015 Blackberry Bloom

    It has started! The 2015 Himalayan blackberry bloom has begun! Ready or not, this is what we on Whidbey Island have been waiting for. This is our primary honey flow ..really, the only once that matters for harvesting honey. The Himalayan blackberries is Whidbey Island’s most important nectar producer for honey bees and accounts for…

  • Thank you all for a wonderful 2014!

    We’re out! No more honey til 2015. What a wonderful year though! And thanks to all of you, our honey was a hit! Now it is time to get the bees ready for winter. Nice and fat and ready for the cool, wet season.I just want to thank all of you and I also want to thank…

  • Only FIVE Jars Left!

    Only FIVE jars left of our 2014 Whidbey Island honey from our Whidbey Island Bees! Free tastes! Come try our honey! Lisa Phillips of Round Tuit Farms will be selling our honey at the Oak Harbor Farmer’s Market on Thursdays from 4:00pm to 7:00pm and at the Coupeville Farmer’s Market on Saturdays from 10:00am to…