Honey Harvest: Part I
Chris Windham, Ayrshire Farm’s beekeeper, inspects a frame from one of the farm’s beehives on July 24.
Extracting nature’s nectar begins with honeycomb collection
It’s 9:30 a.m. and temperatures are already creeping into the 80s as Ayrshire Farm’s resident beekeeper starts his day.
“It’s really rewarding to see the whole process throughout the seasons,” says Chris Windham, who has been tending to the farm’s beehives for over 10 years. Rewarding, but warm: When you’re covered head to toe in protective gear, every moment counts.
Today marks the start of the 2023 honey harvest, a process that will span several days. There are nearly 20 beehives on the property, each one a stack of hive boxes containing a series of frames on which honeycomb is built. The bees here — Italian and Carniolan varieties — begin building their hives around April, taking advantage of the farm’s orchards and flowers (both wild and cultivated) when they’re at their peak. By mid-summer, the honey is ready to harvest.
To collect the honeycomb, Windham starts by using a smoker to pacify the bees. Next, he carefully pulls out the frames one at a time, giving them a firm shake, then gently sweeping over the frame with a brush to make sure all the bees have been removed. After that, the frames are placed in wooden boxes until it’s time to extract the honey — a chore that will have to wait for another day.
It’s a long process, especially in the heat of summer, but like most things at the farm that take a lot of work, the results are worth it.
Chris Windham pulls a frame from one of Ayrshire Farm’s beehives.