Show Me The Honey

It’s been my absolute highlight of our smallholding adventure so far.

Harvesting our first batch of honey.

We weren’t sure how much sweet stuff we were going to get in our first year of trying.

But we were blown away by the generous bumper haul our bee pals have gifted us in return for their lodging and servicing. 

We were keen not to be too greedy so went 50/50 with the bees on their stores.

We took half the heavy, honey-laden frames and left the other half behind in the hive for them.

We carefully carved off the wax, with which the bees had capped off their honey.

And then stuck the frames into a spinning extractor, kindly lent to us by some friendly beekeeping locals.

Quick turn of the handle and what happened next was pure magic.

Watching this golden liquor come oozing out was just incredible.

It tastes like honey on steroids. 

The flavour is so strong and the consistency so thick…

You really only need a tiny amount to get a major sweet hit. 

We got 17 jars of the stuff and have so far fiercely guarded it.

In mean spirit, for the first time ever with the spoils of Rowan Farm, we don’t want to share.

This has taken so much care and attention and so much input from Oli especially.

With a little help from his apprentices…

It’s the most labour intensive farming we’ve done so far.

But definitely among the most rewarding.

We have decided we must invest in more hives so that next harvesting season we might be a smidge more generous and spread the sweet love a little more. 

Sadly though, a week ago we discovered wasps had got into our hive.

They’ve killed loads of bees and nicked loads of the stores we’d left for the colony.

The Queen is still there thankfully, alongside a core gang of loyal survivors.

Oli is now working hard to try and salvage the situation and save the remainers ahead of the colder winter months. 

In another farming disaster, every single one of our chickens has been killed by either fox or buzzard.

Their clucking, pottering about and eery staring at me through the window are thoroughly missed. 

As are their eggs. 

On the minuscule plus side, it happened just in time for them to avoid being cooped up as part of the recent bird flu lockdown. 

I hated shutting them up last time and was relieved not to put them through that trauma again. 

In the meantime, we have some new, rather larger arrivals.

Isaac, Bella and Beyoncé – the Dexter cows – have come to join the party.

With the exception of the council threatening us with enforcement action after one of our charming objectors complained about us putting up a fence to contain them (I mean the cheek… stock fencing… on a FARM??)

And Isaac being a right noisy blighter for his first night in his new home (delighted that said objector may have had to listen to his overnight complaint…)

…These lovely miniature cows have settled in well. 

Nahla is thoroughly perplexed but thrilled by these oversized fellow labradors.

We have the beginning of a herd and will breed from the girls in the next couple of years…

Attempting to raise them entirely on grass, allowing our calves to wean naturally and without any pills and potions.

Once bird lockdown is over, we will have new chickens in a mobile home following the cows about in their field.

Not only does this mean the beef will be sublime and so good for us and the chickens well fed on bugs…

It should mean our soil quality becomes sublime too.

The richness added to the dirt by these clever ruminants and their feathered friends will not only create grasslands far better at withstanding drama and drought…

It will create a rich environment for all sorts of flora and fauna to flourish.

Nature is so blimin clever when we let her do her thing.