Figs

I was given a recipe recently for Fig, Honey and Thyme Tart- it looked tasty and being keen to try my honey in recipes I decided to give it a try. However, I could not get my hands on any figs, I made the tart with blackberries as we have been picking them for some weeks. The tart was lovely. At the top of our garden we have had a Brown Turkey fig tree for a few years- it often tempts us with some tiny,green figs- but they never come to anything, dropping off way before they are ready.

So, imagine how suprised I was when I was checking on the bees and whether the apples were ready to pick,when I spied not one but two brown figs!!

They were soon eaten and were absolutely delicious!

Honey Harvest

Earlier this year when the bees were swarming and all we seemed to be doing was collecting bees and trying to build up new colonies, honey seemed a bit of a dream. But now at the end of the season we are pleased to say that we are happy with our harvest of honey. We have been able to take small amounts from the woodland apiary at Waxwings/Cordwood in both July and August and even some from the very smallest colony in the garden which has built up brilliantly and has lots of stores for the winter already.
The season has been incredibly dry and the woodland nectar appears to have slowed down much earlier than normal- where we had expected the bees to build up stores for themselves we have had to feed these colonies before the varroa treatments went on. However the farmer has given them a bit of a bonus- we have noticed a field boundary of sunflowers all in flower now, well within reach of the bees!

What has intrigued me more than anything is the difference in the honey we have collected- the July honey a beautiful pale amber with a mild flavour, but the August honey from the same bees as dark almost as Guiness and tasting of much more complex flavours!