The Bees Are Chillin!
Bears hibernate, birds fly south, but what do the honey bees do in winter? This is a question we often get asked this time of year.
In late summer, the Queen begins laying special “winter” bees. Winter bees are physiologically different than summer bees, with different body chemistry and fatter bodies. Winter bees live much longer (4 to 6 months) than summer bees (45 days). Their sole purpose – to get the colony, and most importantly the Queen through ’til spring!
As the temperature drops, the Queen stops laying eggs altogether and the bees begin to form the “winter cluster.” If you have ever seen the movie, “March of the Penguins,” it is pretty similar to how the penguins keep each other warm, except her majesty is always in the warmest spot. Essentially, the bees surround the Queen with their heads pointed inwards and “shiver” their flight muscles to generate heat. With thousands of bees shivering, these tiny space heaters warm up the center of the cluster considerably! So while individual honeybees are exothermic (the need to get heat from an outside source), collectively the colony, a superorganism, is endothermic (it maintains body heat from within).
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Sign up for our Introductory Natural Beekeeping Program
Looking for an endless source of inspiration, awe, and excitement?
Consider beekeeping as a hobby, passion, or even as a career. Join Radical Homestead on a journey of hands-on learning about bees and beekeeping. Our Introductory Natural Beekeeping Program will take you from curious to connoisseur!
See our web page to find out more.
Be sure to register early because the program will be limited to only 8 people.
Registration Ends April 9th. First class is April 16th, 2015. |
Upcoming Fermentation Workshops
Sign up for one of our upcoming Fermentation Basics Workshops:
-February 7, 2016 -March 6, 2016
Register on our website. |
Fermented Foods Subscription
Love fermented foods but don’t have time to do it yourself?
Want to spice up your diet with a variety of fermented foods?
Look no further and let Radical Homestead do all the dirty work! We offer a monthly or quarterly fermented food box.
Each box features local, nutrient-dense, probiotic food including lacto-fermented sauerkraut, kimchi and pickles, fermented drinks, sourdough bread, and more. We can work with any special diet.
Visit our website to learn more or to sign up for an annual, quarterly, or seasonal share. |
The Honey Situation
We are sad to share that our supply of honey is slowly dwindling. Our honey has become so popular that we are having a hard time keeping it on the shelf. This means that until our next harvest (mid-summer) we are SOLD OUT of bulk buckets, 1 kg, and 500g jars. However, you can still contact us for small quantities or to reserve bulk orders from our next harvest.
There are however a very limited quantity of 1 kg jars and honey bears available at Red Door Provisions at 117 Beechwood Ave. While you’re there we highly recommend picking up a jar of their incredible preserves.
A few 1 kg jars are also still available through Savour Ottawa Online. |
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