Hivelights

Art and I were very fortunate to be able to get away and join a ‘Go Organic’ farm tour of Cuba a month ago. Never having been to Cuba nor on an organized tour like this, we weren’t sure what to expect. The tour short description “Exploring Cuba’s Organic and Agro-ecological Revolution” just scratched the surface of what we saw and experienced. How can you explain in a few words the agricultural stories that have evolved in a country that has been through so much?  We now have a huge respect for the Cuban people and were truly inspired by what they have accomplished with so little. Oh yes – the beaches. They looked lovely – maybe next trip we’ll get more time to investigate them but honestly there were too many amazing things to see at the ‘organoponicos’, research farms, botanical reserves, etc. For more on this trip, please click here

On a somber note our observation hive has not made it through the winter for the very first time. The queen wasn’t as strong as she should have been (she wasn’t laying enough eggs) thus their numbers were dwindling quickly and then they were finished off by nosema, a protozoan disease. We hope to take advantage of the current mild weather and get some frames from one of our outdoor hives to replenish the observation hive. We have looked at a few of those hives and so far they look very good. In the next few weeks we will be doing our first feeding and we’ll have more news in the next newsletter. Some areas of BC’s Vancouver Island have already reported extreme losses. Their situation is quite different than ours so we hope it’s not indicative.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Sunday April 11
Food 4 Thought
Uptown Stage & Screen,
612-8th Ave SW, Calgary
Join Chinook Honey at this Earth Day Celebration: Meet local sustainable farmers, taste great samples of their products created by supportive chefs and enjoy a screening of 'Food Fight'.
6-9 pm - $15 admission
More info

Wednesday April 14
AGC Cooks: The Art of Cuisine
The Art Gallery of Calgary,
117-8th Ave SW, Calgary
Chinook Honey will be one of the producers involved in this elite Chef's Competition and AGC fundraiser
5:30 pm - $250 per person
More info

Mead Matters

The latest release of Ginger Snapped is just out! This run is a little more subtle than the 2009 version. It pairs very well with poultry, especially with Winters Turkeys spiced turkey cutlets. Another pairing that is quite fun: Ginger Snapped with sushi or Chinese food.
The Raspberry Rhapsody is developing well. Art is still anticipating a late May release for it. I’m thinking a chocolate cheesecake pairing might be in order!

Product of the Month

Caramel Honey Spread

What better time of the year to enjoy our very popular caramel honey spread!
It is made by caramelizing the honey at a temperature of 240°, then adding cream and just a dash of butter.
In March and April we are teased with sunny, warm days and then wham – winter takes another swipe at us. Savouring a spoonful of caramel honey will warm you spirit and create visions of summer sun.
On a chilly day, drizzle it over a warm coffee cake – or just put it right in your coffee! When the temperatures start climbing, try drizzling the caramel sauce on our tasty honey ice cream.
One note of caution however – don’t start by tasting a spoonful of this tasty treat – the whole jar may mysteriously vanish. (It comes in 2 sizes, the 250 ml is $7.00 and 375 ml is $10.50)

Bees and Honey in the News

Judges uphold ban on Bayer pesticide
By Rick Wills
PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Saturday, March 13, 2010
A federal appeals court refused to delay a ban on the sale of a pesticide that some environmental groups claim is killing honeybees.
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/business/s_671451.html

Cherie's Web Picks

1. Beekeepers: "It comes very hard winter" - Chilean Beekeeping post Earthquake (Spanish with English Translation)
http://www.diariolatribuna.cl/noticias.php?p_id=22410

2. Island bee colonies decimated By Toby Gorman - Nanaimo News Bulletin
http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_central/nanaimonewsbulletin/news/84830957.html

3. ‘Using Bee Venom Therapy to combat Illnesses in China’ – In Spanish but excellent video footage
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xcn7zj_veneno-de-abejas-para-combatir-enfe_news

4. Queen bees blocked at Canadian border Emily Mathieu Business Reporter
http://www.thestar.com/business/article/772327--queen-bees-blocked-at-border

5. "I Am an Illegal Urban Beekeeper"
Just because New York City has legalized beekeeping, doesn't mean its legal everywhere...
http://www.thedailygreen.com/green-homes/latest/illegal-beekeeping#ixzz0jOjBamPz

6. TourismBeekeeping in Argentina – (Spanish with English translation)
http://turismo-apicola.com.ar/

Teasing Trivia

Q. How many wings does a bee have?
A. Four