Henkes Honey

06/15/2026

The crystallization of honey is a natural process, which certifies the authenticity of the product. It is important to know that crystallized honey has the exact same characteristics and properties like the liquid one. However, many people show a preference for crystallized honey, because it is easier to put it on bread. If your honey crystallizes, you have to emerge it into a recipient filled with warm water and keep it there until the crystals dissolve, however pay attention not to boil or overheat the honey, because it will lose its properties. You can also put crystallized honey, in jars, on your window sill. The warmth of the sun warms it enough to make the honey liquid again.

06/15/2026

This is our friend Charles Bennett, when he did his first Bee Beard!

06/15/2026

Who Decides Where a Honey Bee Swarm Will Build a New Home?

The decision is made by Scout Bees — experienced worker bees that search for and evaluate potential nesting sites.

How the Process Works
1. The Swarm Leaves the Old Hive
When a colony becomes crowded, the old queen leaves with thousands of worker bees in a process called swarming. The swarm usually gathers temporarily on a tree branch, fence, or other object while a new home is being selected.

2. Scout Bees Begin Searching
Hundreds of scout bees fly out in different directions looking for suitable nesting sites. They inspect locations such as:
Hollow trees
Empty hive boxes
Rock cavities
Wall voids and other sheltered spaces

3. They Evaluate Each Site
Scout bees carefully assess each location based on several factors:
Internal volume (about 40 liters is ideal)
Small, defensible entrance
Protection from rain and wind
Dry interior
Good height above the ground
Distance from predators and disturbances

4. The Waggle Dance
After returning to the swarm cluster, scouts perform the famous waggle dance. This dance communicates:
Direction of the site
Distance from the swarm
Quality of the location
The better the site, the longer and more enthusiastic the dance.

5. Democratic Decision-Making
Other scout bees visit the advertised locations and evaluate them independently. If they agree that a site is excellent, they also begin dancing for it.
Over time, support builds for the best location while support for poorer sites fades away.

6. Reaching Consensus
When enough scouts agree on a single location—typically dozens of scouts gathering there simultaneously—the colony reaches a consensus.

7. The Swarm Moves
Scout bees then signal the swarm to take off. Thousands of bees follow the scouts through the air to their new home, where they immediately begin building comb and establishing the colony.

Amazing Fact
The queen bee does not choose the new home. Although she is the most important bee for reproduction, the decision is made collectively by worker scout bees. Scientists consider this one of nature's most impressive examples of collective intelligence and democratic decision-making.

Quick Facts
🐝 Scout bees are worker bees.
🐝 A swarm may inspect dozens of potential homes.
🐝 The selection process can take several hours to several days.
🐝 The queen follows the swarm's decision.
🐝 The final choice is usually the result of a colony-wide consensus rather than a single bee's decision.
Nature's lesson: Thousands of bees can make a remarkably intelligent decision without any single bee being in charge.
Shared from BFHoney
Pic below is Wade Henke removing a swarm.

06/15/2026

Homemade Raspberry Honey Lemonade

Ingredients:
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
- 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 4-6 lemons)
- 1/2 cup honey
- 4 cups cold water
- Ice cubes
- Fresh raspberries and lemon slices for garnish (optional)

Instructions:
1. In a blender, combine the fresh raspberries, lemon juice, and honey.
2. Blend on high until smooth.
3. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a pitcher to remove the seeds.
4. Add the cold water to the pitcher and stir well to combine.
5. Taste and adjust sweetness if necessary.
6. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
7. Serve over ice and garnish with fresh raspberries and lemon slices if desired.
8. Enjoy your refreshing homemade raspberry lemonade!

06/15/2026

06/14/2026

Baked Pears with Berries, Honey, Walnuts and Blue Cheese

Author: Sylvia Total Time: 40 Yield: 6 servings Diet: Vegetarian
Baked Pears with Berries, Honey, Walnuts and Blue Cheese is an easy yet elegant dessert that balances sweet, savory, and creamy flavors with minimal effort. Perfect for fall and holiday gatherings.

Ingredients
• 3 ripe pears (Bosc or Bartlett), halved and cored

• 2 tbsp butter, melted

• 2 tbsp honey

• ½ cup fresh mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries, or cranberries)

• ¼ cup chopped walnuts (lightly toasted)

• ¼ cup crumbled blue cheese or gorgonzola

• ½ tsp cinnamon

• Fresh thyme leaves (optional, for garnish)

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a small baking dish with parchment or grease lightly.

2. Halve the pears lengthwise and scoop out the cores. Trim the bottoms slightly so they sit flat.

3. Brush the cut side of the pears with melted butter and place in the dish, cut side up.

4. Fill the cavities with berries, walnuts, and crumbled blue cheese.

5. Drizzle honey over the top and sprinkle with cinnamon.

6. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until pears are tender and golden.

7. Remove from oven, garnish with fresh thyme if using, and serve warm with pan juices spooned over top.

Notes
– Use Bosc or Bartlett pears that are ripe but still firm.

– For a nut-free version, use pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds.

– Goat cheese or feta can replace blue cheese for a milder flavor.

– Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

06/14/2026

Busy Honey Bees working a frame of Henkes Honey 🍯🐝💛

06/13/2026

Not all honey is the same color. 🍯

Honey shades are commonly measured using the Pfund Scale, a standardized system that classifies honey from nearly transparent to deep amber based on its color intensity. The scale ranges from Water White honey, which measures less than 9 mm, to darker varieties such as Amber, which measure between 86 and 114 mm.

The color of honey is influenced by several factors, including the flower sources visited by bees, mineral content, climate, and storage conditions. Lighter honeys often have milder flavors, while darker honeys typically contain stronger, richer tastes and higher concentrations of certain antioxidants.

Although color can affect flavor and appearance, both light and dark honey can be highly nutritious and naturally produced by bees.

06/13/2026

Have you had your Honey today?
Add honey to toast or cereal. If you usually reach for sugary snacks in the morning, use honey on your breakfast food instead. Honey can add sweetness to basic breakfast foods, minimizing your need to eat sugary meals at breakfast.

If you, say, normally have toast with cinnamon and sugar, use honey instead.

You can also sq**rt a small amount of honey over low-sugar, healthy types of cereal.

If you're an oatmeal eater, use honey instead of brown sugar to sweeten your oatmeal.

You can also use honey in your coffee/tea.