| By :
Tristan Ho
Keeping bees is an enjoyable & rewarding activity to many, especially honey bees. Not only does the beekeeper have the benefit of pollination of any nearby gardens, they are also able to enjoy delicious honey. What more can you get! Everyone knows the expression "busy as a bee". True to its words, bees work so hard bringing nectar back to the hive to make honey that after about 35 days of life, they actually wear out their wings & their usefulness to the colony & actually die. The bees store the honey which can then be used as food in times of need when flowers are not blooming. If it is a nice season with plenty of nectar producing flowers, the bees can collect plenty of nectar & they finish up making much more honey than they could ever eat by themselves. The beekeepers are then able to harvest a nice amount of honey to make use of for themselves or to sell for profit. It is feasible for beekeepers to profit from the honey that their bees are producing by selling three different types of honey. Liquid honey is the honey that is extracted from the hive. Using centrifuge equipment beekeepers can remove them from honey combs. These machines are called extractors. Beekeepers are also able to sell honey in another way; they sell pieces of the comb. Honey still in their natural wax combs are called comb honey. Although this honey is less adaptable to make use of in cooking or with mixing in tea, it is enjoyed by those who prefer its natural flavors. It is not widely known that honey comes in plenty of different colors & flavors. Different flowers will have different scents. Therefore the nectar that is given off by the flower will smell & taste different as well and that is why honey from some places are more popular. What makes up the soil also determines how honey looks and taste. Honey that is made from the nectar of alfalfa which grows in drier, alkali soil, may vary from white to clear. On the other hand, honey that is made from the nectar of buckwheat which grows in more acidic soils tens to be dark. And, the quality of the honey comb that the bees make is a factor in the color & taste of honey. The color of honey may even be golden, red, & even green hues. It is important that they follow state & federal regulations for processing, labeling, & handling food products when beekeepers are processing honey & other types of bee products. It is an actual business & local governments guidelines may vary regarding beekeeping in the area. Beekeepers must also think about marketing strategies to sell their honey & other types of bee products. Where will they sell their honey & what types of consumers are they targeting for sales? Beekeeping is a rewarding hobby but when the beekeeper is trying to turn a profit, they must view their hobby like a business & make decisions that will let them not only survive but prosper. Roll on now my friend. Indulge in your passion!
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