Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip Oat Bran Cookies: with Honey

 

To keep your recipe box growing with tasty delights baked with honey, I tried a new recipe—I think it's a keeper. One of my favorite cereals is hot oat bran, served with roasted walnuts and honey. I've been looking at the recipe on the back of the box for years. A few weeks ago I decided to give it a try (with a twist, I added mini chocolate chips). 

Batter

Ingredients  

½ cup butter, melted (I used Cabot)

1/3 cup raw honey, crystallized or liquid (I used Heavenly Honey Apiary)

½ cup brown sugar

1 egg or 2 egg whites (I used 4 Tbsp of egg whites)

½ cup peanut butter (Natural is great in this recipe)

½ tsp. vanilla

½ cup Unbleached White Whole Wheat Flour (King Arthur Flour)

½ cup Unbleached All-Purpose Flour (King Arthur Flour)

½ cup Oat Bran Cereal Hodgson Mill (I used Trader Joes)

¾ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. baking soda

Ready for the oven

Directions
Preheat oven to 350° F. 

Mix melted butter with honey and brown sugar. Add egg (or whites); mix well. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla; beat until smooth. Add remaining dry ingredients; mix well. Drop by teaspoon into ungreased cookie sheet, (I lined mine with parchment paper). 

Bake on middle rack 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Transfer to cooling rack, wait 10 to 15 minutes.  

Devour!

Waiting to cool

Yields 36 cookies.

Recipe adopted from the back of Hodgson Mill Oat Bran Hot Cereal box.

Why a beekeeping mentor is a MUST HAVE

You’re in your backyard, relatively new to beekeeping, you look to the sky and concentrate on (well first you hear) a black, buzzing cloud. It takes a moment for your eyes to focus and assimilate what you are looking at; you are witnessing your first swarm.  You have read about swarms, but all of a sudden you’re unsure. Is there something to be done? If only you could just call someone more experienced—ask a few questions. Well that’s exactly what we did seven years ago. I will never forget that day for two reasons. Watching my first swarm and then being able to capture it—was a thrill! Secondly, it was the beginning of a mentoring relationship that has lasted for years. 

If you are new to beekeeping, I would like to offer my two cents, which may only be worth a penny to you, but to someone else it might just be priceless down the road.

"Book knowledge is great, but having a bee mentor is invaluable."

Let me say it another way (and please take this with a grain of salt).
 

"A prideful person doesn’t ask for beekeeping help, but the humble beekeeper is willing to surround himself or herself with experienced beekeepers."

I like to call these experienced beekeepers by a more affectionate term, “old-timers”. They don’t have to be old (although in some cases the older they are, the more stories I get to hear!), they’re just beekeepers that have been at it so long that they are like a properly seasoned, well-used cast iron skillet. They have loads of wisdom to share and they don't let it stick to themselves. 

Over the past seven years we’ve become knowledgeable beekeepers (but there is always more to learn). About six years ago, one of our mentors said to me, “You’re no longer a newbie, your first year of beekeeping has taught you much, you now know more than the newbies showing up for these workshops.” In other words, he was encouraging me share my experiences. Thus the circle continued and my husband and I have been giving back ever since. 

Valarie & Scott represent their beekeeping assoc.,
offering honey tasting from local and store bought honey

Our first (beloved) mentor, Bill Mares!

As the years have progressed, pay it forward has naturally become Scott’s style to fellow Vermont beekeepers as he answers questions that come in by telephone, email and teaching venues. He has lead beekeeping workshops, taught beekeeping 101 extension classes, and been interviewed several times by the local news channel to provide beekeeping basics. This give back approach has been modeled well by esteemed old-timers such as Bill Mares, Michael Palmer and Bill Mraz. They have given our beekeeping association countless hours of teaching, training and knowledge.
 
For Scott and I, fun mentoring opportunities have looked like these:

Mentee, Gisela

Early in 2012, Scott met a woman while teaching a beekeeping course whom insisted that he would be her tutor(she was feisty, but a good learner). He provided hands-on experience within our operation, until she was ready to purchase her own hives and give it try. Last I heard, this mentee had been fully inducted into the world of beekeeping—she received her first black bear attack this spring. 

Valarie discussing the inside of the hive with a child

For me, my face lights up with smiles when I’m educating the children that visit our observation hive. They have hundreds of questions (literally), and if they stick around long enough, they start answering questions that come from adults that walk up to our booth. Our job is done; I just love this! I also have opportunities to talk about how I render wax, make pure beeswax candles and make infused honey etc. I further like to talk about products from the hive and show what can be created with them, such as the consumption of bee pollen, propolis and foods cooked with honey.

Mentee, Gary (and son)
from Lake Champlain Chocolates reaping his first harvest

Last year Scott began mentoring some aspiring beekeepers that work at Lake Champlain Chocolates. This is a Vermont company that knows what local is all about. These chocolatiers use local honey, maple syrup, cream etc. in their craft. It has been a pleasure for my husband to work alongside of them; coaching, encouraging and then helping them (with the excitement of their first harvest) extract frames of honey. Maybe someday they’ll be extracting enough honey to use in their mouthwatering chocolates.

You may ask, “Where can I find a beekeeper mentor?”

Many states have a beekeepers associations or local beekeeping club. If you haven’t joined one, I highly recommend it. Heck we’ve driven to other states and paid a visitors fee to hear guest speakers that we think will help us with our beekeeping skills. Most associations have a list for their members containing beekeepers willing to be mentors. Some folks use online forums such as Beesource to ask their questions. This is great; however, I still recommend getting to know someone local in case something is going on in your hive that you can’t read properly, but an experienced beekeeper could come on site and help you out, and potentially help to save your colony(s).
 

One of our endeared "old-timers" Bill Mraz

Well that about wraps up my two cents on why you should seek out a mentor. Oh wait, if you are reading this and you have years of experience and have never become a mentor, what the buzz are you waiting for? Do I need to come through this screen and sting you? No, seriously—I know that time is limited, so say no to ten but if you can, try saying yes to one. From firsthand experience, passing on wisdom and giving support does have a payoff. It gives back satisfaction in knowing you have personally helped a fellow beekeeper, thus growing the community and increasing the education on how to keep healthy sustainable honey bees.  

Happy beekeeping!
 
We want to hear from you (and I’m sure others would too). Tell us the most helpful advice that you have received from your beekeeping mentor. Please post comments below.

Hot Honey Pork Kabobs

With temperatures reaching high 70s this past Sunday, it was finally time to get the grill going without snow boots and a winter jacket. This made me think of kabobs. I came up with a new creation cooking with honey from Heavenly Honey Apiary. 

It’s quick, easy, and sure to please your taste buds. 

Serves 3 (adjust up or down for the number of people you’re serving—no hard fast rules to make this taste delicious) 

Hot Honey Pork Kabobs

Kabobs 

3 – Wooden skewers pre-soaked in water at least 20 minutes (or metal skewers) 
3 –Pork loin boneless chops, cut into large bites size pieces (my kabobs made four bites each). 
1 – Large Red Pepper cut into 1” pieces 
1 – Large White Onion cut into 1” pieces 
9 to 12 – Grape tomatoes 

Hot Honey Sauce 

½ cup - Honey 
1 tsp - Red pepper flakes (more or less to your taste) About ¼ tsp - Sea salt 
Optional - Lime juice from ½ a lime 

Assembly 

Mix the sauce ingredients together, and then with a basting brush, brush all over the pork pieces. Start with the pork, slide onto the skewer, and alternate with red pepper, onion, tomato. 

Tip: After working with the sauce, stop and wash your hands with soap and water. If you don't and you rub your eyes --  we'll don't say I didn't warn you!

 
Grilling 

Have your grill hot and at least 375° F, but not too hot because you don’t want the vegetables to burn. I grilled for about 20 minutes, turning frequently. 

In the top photo you see brussel sprouts. These were roasted on the grill at the same time. Beforehand, I cut them in half and steamed in microwave for 3 minutes. They were lightly tossed with Chipotle Olive Oil (from Saratoga Olive Oil Co) and few twist from the sea salt mill. Once on the plate, I drizzled with Mango Balsamic vinegar (also from Saratoga Olive Oil Co). 

Side dish recommendation 

Cooked Farro, tossed with red peppers and onions that have been chopped and sautéed in olive oil, and then add several splashes of soy sauce.

(You are encouraged to copy, share or repost this recipe, please give credit to my website Heavenly Honey Apiary at www.vtbeekeeper.com or this blog link--Thank you!)

 

Bees In A Box: How to Install Packaged Honey Bees

3 lbs of honey bees with a mated queen

If you ordered your packaged bees between November and January, and you live in the Northeastern United States, like us, you probably are anticipating the arrival of your bees between late April through late May. If you are reading this hoping to start your first colony of honey bees in 2013, and you haven’t ordered your bees, you may be reading this for next year’s install; most local suppliers of packaged bees are sold out.

Is this your first time installing packaged bees? RELAX. It’s easy if you do some preparation before they actually arrive. There are lots of YouTube videos to backup what I’m about to share, but the steps below are helpful, and can be printed out as a check list. (As I look at our first year of beekeeping photos, I see that my husband actually had one of our beekeeping books right by his side while installing the bees.)

Oh, and if you haven’t already discovered this beekeepers axiom,

"Put six beekeepers in a room and you’ll get six different answers to your question" 

this holds true with installing packaged bees. Our way is just one way, and the method we’ve become accustomed to. Give it a try, or try one of the ways you’ve seen in a video or a combination of the two. You’ll succeed and won’t be a “newbie” for long. 

Things to do before your bees arrive:

1) Paint your hive bodies, bottom board and outer cover, to protect them from the elements. Do this in advance so that the paint has dried and doesn’t smell—you want the bees to like their new home. 

Tip: Use indoor or outdoor paint. Checkout the "oops" paint selection at your local hardware store for inexpensive paint.

2) Set your hive(s) in the yard in the designated place you have selected, after mowing the area. We selected a spot in the backyard that would provide a windbreak and lots of sun. (Here in the New England our season is short, so we want the colony getting sun as early in the morning as possible to encourage foraging.) Set the front of the hive(s) in a south easterly direction. This offers the first days sun to the front, warming it, and encouraging the bees to fly.

3) Have your basic beekeeping supplies purchased and in hand for bee arrival day. 

• Hive tool 
• Smoker 
• Smoker fuel along with a lighter or matches 
• Bee brush 
• Veil 
• Bee jacket/suit if you want to wear one 
• If you have butter fingers (which I did the first year), a pair of nitrile gloves. It helped me grip things better (wasn’t wearing to ward off bee stings—if you wear protective bee gloves, just know that it will make manipulating things just a tad awkward). 
• Small nail (about 16 penny). 
• Optional, but maybe not; have an EpiPen on hand. (Call your doctor, tell him/her that you’re getting into beekeeping. Usually they'll send an Rx to your local pharmacy.) You may never need it, but then again if you’ve followed this blog you (or a visiting friend) just might. 

Packaged bees traveling in the back of a sedan

Tip: If you’re picking up your bees and you’re just starting off with one or two packages, they can fit right on the floor of the back of your car. They'll buzz tunes all the way home, and you’ll be pals in no time. 

Installing your bees: 
 
1) Unpacking bees. 

• Remove the cover from hive, so that you are working with the deep. 
• Remove 3 frames (from a 10 frame deep).
• Using your hive tool, pry off the piece of plywood covering the feed can.

 

Removing plywood cover

• Pull out the can, and the queen cage. Set both aside; keep the queen cage safe e.g. place in your pocket to keep her warm, and out of direct sunlight. 

 

Using hive tool to pry feeder out of box

Queen cage containing mated queen and attendants

• Smack the package on the ground so that the bees clump to the bottom of the package opposite the large hole.

• Now rotate the package of bees upside down so that the circular opening is over the deep where you have removed the three frames. Shake the box so that the bees start to fall out into the deep. Get as many as you can into the box, but do not be concerned that there are still some in the package. 

 

Shaking bees into deep

2) Gently replace the three frames back into the hive. You may use the bee brush or hive tool to move the bees out of the way. 

3) Take the queen cage and on the candy plug side, remove the cork covering the candy plug. Take the small nail and gingerly twist it through the candy plug. CAUTION! Be sure that you do not poke through and hit the queen. You just want a little hole to help get the bees eating through this candy plug vs. totally removing it. This gives them another day or two for the queen to get introduced to her new hive (known as a slow release). 

4) Take the queen cage and place it between two of the center frames. We attach it lengthwise (candy plug is not pointing up or down). 

Placement of queen cage;
note back end slightly lower than candy plug opening

5) Put the inner cover on. (Use your bee brush or hive tool to move the bees off the edge of the hive box.)

6) If you’re feeding to help them build up comb, (until nectar flow arrives) place your can/jar of sugar water over the inner cover hole. Place an extra brood or medium body on top without frames, to act as a protector of the jar. Now place the outer cover on. 

7) Now take the package box that still has some bees in it and place it relatively close to the hive entrance. They’ll eventually make their way out and go into their new home. 

8) Within two days (no more than 4 days) go back to the hive and make sure that the queen has released. If she hasn’t, carefully remove the mesh screen (do this over the hive, close to the frame), and let her walk out onto a frame. The hive should be read to welcome their queen. 

9) Assuming you used foundation (vs. drawn comb), if you pull out a couple frames from the center, you should see how busy your bees have been in the past two days with a fair amount of pretty white comb.

Drawing out foundation and inserting nectar after just a few days.