It was an amazing Saint Patrick"s Day morning at Bellevue Farm,
the perfect home for leprechauns,
Meet Carmen Battavio - our own apiarist -better know as bee keeper,
all suited up for some spring cleaning of his hives.
Carmen wanted to show you how he tends his hives this time of year.
The white crust on top of the open hive is the remaining sugar from the winter feeding.
This little contraption - well, it's very important.
It's the smoke pot - the smoke calms the bees,
allowing Carmen to work the hives without getting stung.
It doesn't harm the bees at all.
His first task -
remove the sugar wafer from the winter feeding.
He can then remove the individual frames to inspect them.
The bees were very active today.
Here's a close up!
No risk of a sting!
This frame has some yummy honey
I know - I tried it!
Another close up - honey and bee!
Once Carmen finishes cleaning and inspecting the hives
its time to start the spring feeding of a sugar syrup
- here he is pouring it into the top of the hive.
The proud bee keeper!
Toward the end of the month Carmen will be starting new hives,
and he's invited EGFM to help out - stay tuned!
Stop by and get a taste of real East Goshen honey!
