January 2010 News from Northeast Harvest

Johnny's Selected Seeds

Whatcom Seed Company

American Meadows

Seed Savors Exchange

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange

Apiculture:

Beekeeping, or apiculture, is concerned with the practical management of the social species of honey bees, which live in large colonies of up to 100,000 individuals. At some point humans began to domesticate wild bees in artificial hives made from hollow logs, wooden boxes, pottery vessels, and woven straw baskets or "skeps".

Currently, there are considerable regional variations in the type of hive in which bees are kept. A hive is a set of rectangular wooden boxes filled with moveable wood or plastic frames, each of which holds a sheet of wax or plastic foundation. Read More...

Practical Beekeeping:

Local residents are fortunate to have strong beekeeping organizations available for information and guidance about apiculture.

The Essex County Beekeepers' Association offers a nine week course for beginning beekeepers and others with an interest in bees. Practical Beekeeping is an introductory level course designed to provide students, with no previous knowledge or experience with beekeeping, the necessary information and skills to keep honeybees. The course includes instruction on bee biology, required equipment, setting up bee hives, acquiring and installing bees, managing bees through the seasons, harvesting honey and bees wax, local bee supply dealers, a workshop on building bee equipment, and culminates with one field session working with live honeybees.

The Middlesex County Beekeepers Association of Mass has members throughout Middlesex County and the surrounding area. The club's theme is "beekeepers helping beekeepers," finding enjoyment and fulfillment in keeping bees. The club maintains a members' only webpage to post questions and exchange information between meetings - a great way to stay in touch. They welcome new members and offer classes in beekeeping for beginners.

Who's Your Farmer? Middlesex County

Merrimack Valley Apiaries

Crystal Card

96 Dudley Road

Billerica, MA 01821

Phone: 978-667-5380

Email: Cardbee@aol.com

Merrimack Valley Apiaries was incorporated in 1958 to provide a honeybee pollination service to apple growers in Eastern Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. Proudly celebrating their 50th anniversary, service has expanded to include apples in New York State, blueberries in Maine and New Jersey, cranberries in Massachusetts, and almonds in California. The Merrimack Valley Apiaries also raise bees to supply beekeepers nationwide and sell NUCs (replacement hives) for commercial and hobbying uses. They also produce Crystal's All-Natural & Varietal Honey, refined beeswax, and bulk ingredient honey available from five-gallon containers to tank truckloads.

Who's Your Farmer? Essex County

McCarl's Gloucester Apiaries / McCarl & Associates

Henry McCarl

112 Eastern Avenue

Gloucester, MA 01930-1854

Phone: 978-823-6344

Email: hmccarl@alum.mit.edu

Hank McCarl, retired University of Alabama Professor of Economics and Geology, permanently relocated to Gloucester in 2001. His expertise in natural resources led to a scientific interest in bees. His passion has developed into a small business that generates several hundred pounds of local honey each year out of 4-9 hives, for which, he can happily report, there is tremendous demand. McCarl's Gloucester Wildflower Honey is available at the following locations in Gloucester, Massachusetts: Alexandra's Bread, 265 Main Street, Phone: 978-281-3064 and Cape Ann Coffees, 86 Bass Avenue, Phone: 978-282-1717.

"I want people to understand how vitally important bees are to local agriculture and our general welfare. Trees, flowers and crops are all more productive because of a bee's labor," said Mr. McCarl.

Given the development of immune deficiency disease within the bee population, McCarl has seen a significant increase in local beekeeping interest. "Over 2,000 new beekeepers have joined our ranks in Massachusetts since the problem became evident in the state." He enthusiastically credits the programs and guidance available through the Essex County Beekeepers Association and recommends connecting with the group if you have an interest in learning more about apiculture.

Featured Product: Honey
A bottle of pure honey contains the natural sweet substance produced by honey bees from the nectar of plants or secretions of living parts of plants. Nothing else. The color and flavor of honey differ depending on the bees' nectar source (the blossoms). In general, lighter colored honeys are mild in flavor, while darker honeys are usually more robust in flavor. Read More...

Complete information concerning honey's chemical makeup and nutritional content is available in our downloadable PDF brochure, "Honey, a Reference Guide to Nature's Sweetener".

Recipe of the Month: Honey Nut Squares

A decadent yet simple bar cookie featuring honey, nuts and a pastry crust. Makes 25 (1-inch) bars Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 2 hr http://www.epicurious.com

Northeast Harvest Ag Day

March 30, 2010

Coolidge Hall, Topsfield Fairgrounds

Join all farm interests committed to local farm sustainability and the buy-local movement. Presentations, GAP training, spray credits, Farm Bureau update, Marketing program presentations, and more. Contact the Essex Agricultural Society for additional information.

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