· By Angela Seto
A snapshot of our little piece of earth
The sky is full of bees as we're unloading the hives in Saskatoon.
What's new on the farm:
The bees have all arrived back home in Saskatoon!
It has been a much calmer, drama-free week since they got back.
In the mornings, the crew loads up about 40 hives at a time and drives them out to different farm yards, which we call outyards.
These farm yards come from landowners and farmers who let us put our hives on their land.
Many of these yards have been around for decades, from relationships that Andrew's grandpa started.
The hives get unloaded by hand and with a pallet jack. Then, for the rest of the day, the team goes through another batch of hives to check that they made the trip in good condition and are ready to be moved the next morning.
Once all the hives get moved out, they will stay on the outyards for the rest of the summer.
Each outyard is a little different. Some have different crops, others have special wildflowers, and each spot has its own microclimate (the tiny weather patterns that happen right there).
Because of this, the bees collect a unique mix of nectar in every yard. As the summer goes on, the flowers change too!
Each yard is kept in its own batch, and we process all these batches separately.
The differences in floral nectar determine the color, texture, and flavor of honey, which is why unprocessed honey looks different all over the world.
And that's why you may see slight differences from batch to batch of honey that you receive from us!
Each jar is like a snapshot of one little piece of earth at one special time. It's never exactly the same from season to season, and that's a good thing!
Our goal is to have consistently great honey, but that doesn't mean it has to be completely uniform.
Uniformity is why large corporate packers end up pasteurizing and blending honey together, so it's always the same.
And we would rather preserve our honey the way the bees made it!
Recipe: Raspberry Honey Lemonade
We're approaching the summer solstice, and the weather calls for some refreshing drinks!
Whenever we make a sweet drink I like to swap out the sugar for honey instead.
Our honey is a bit thicker so it takes a little more time to dissolve in liquid, but nothing that some extra stirring can't take care of.
Raspberry lemon is one of our favorite combinations. Whether in pies, drinks, or homemade popsicles, the tartness and sweetness are a great balance!
This raspberry lemonade recipe is a great way to kick off a hot summer day on the patio.
Ingredients:
- 6 cups water, divided
- 8 oz raspberries, frozen or fresh
- 3/4 cup honey (adjust for your preferred sweetness!)
- 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Directions:
- Add 1 cup of water and the raspberries to a small saucepan and heat at medium low.
- Stir frequently and mash until the raspberries break up and release their juices.
- Take off heat and pour mixture through a strainer into your pitcher. Press as much juice through with a spoon.
- Add the remaining water, lemon juice, and honey. Stir vigorously until the honey is completely dissolved.
- Serve immediately over ice, or chill in the refrigerator before serving!
Tip: If you want the honey to dissolve more easily, you can add it during Step 1 to the water and raspberry mixture in the sauce pan to warm it up.
Recipe slightly modified from Sugar Spun Run.