FOOD & DRINK
Terry: You don’t have to separate
the honey from the wax honey
comb we also sell cut comb which is
very popular and the most natural
way to eat honey, it is said to be
good for reducing the symptoms
of some hay fever sufferers as
it contains the most pollen.
Mary: When we remove the
honeycomb from the hives we
separate the honey from the
wax comb it is then used in the
production of soap, furniture
polish and candles, elsewhere
in the world it is also used in
cosmetics and medicine.
Q. MARK: When does the
honey get produced?
Terry: The bees only produce
honey in quantity between
early April and the end of July.
During this time the bees have
a life expectancy of about six
weeks. Whereas the bees hatched
during the winter can live up to
seven months. During the honey
producing weeks each hive can
produce between 50lbs to over
100lbs of honey, as the bees
need only 20-30lbs to see them
through their winters hibernation
the extra honey can be taken
without harm to the colony.
Q. MARK: What is a swarm and
what causes bees to swarm?
Mary: A swarm is when bees move
from a colony. Each queen can lay
2000 eggs daily and if a colony is
flourishing it can soon become
overcrowded. So a percentage of
the colony, usually about half,
will swarm to find another place
to live leaving the existing colony
to carry on un-crowded. It is for
this reason we closely monitor
our hives, visiting them each once
a fortnight during the summer
months to avoid swarms.
Terry: Although a swarm
represents no danger we get
contacted regularly to deal with
them, the fire brigade, council
and police all have our numbers;
I tend to deal with east and north
Wight, Mary with south and west.
Q. MARK: Once a swarm is
contained what happens?
Terry: I dealt with five swarms in
just one day last week, one of which
I took to the nuns at St Cecilia’s,
where they have just set up their
first hive.
- life
Mary busy tending her hives
Mary:
Amongst the
eighty-one
association
members there
are still eight
or nine waiting
for their first
swarms so
they can start
producing.
Q. MARK:
So do you
both help
people get into
competition
with you?
Terry: Yes
the Island
has room for
more colonies
and a market
for more honey than the island
beekeepers are currently producing.
Mary: The growing trend for
farmers to replant hedgerows and
set aside strips of land for wild
flower cultivation is great for the
bees. All the honey I produce
sells through Friday’s farmers
market, Chale show and the
Garlic festival alone. The demand
far exceeds the production.
Q. MARK: Where do you sell
your bees’ pr:oducts Terry?
Terry: