Do you get bitten and does it hurt?
No I do not get bitten – stung, yes and does
it hurt, only when I laugh... For a split second, and after
a few choice words are delivered – a
quick dab of alcohol or baby wipe and all is fine. Remember that
when a bee stings a person it then dies as the stinger is left
in the target. A bee can sting ONLY once – wasps
can sting up to 5-6 times. And it is wasps who eat your hamburger
meat at the picnic. Not bees.
How do you squeeze the honey from the bees?
Gently - between my fingers.. each and every one.
(just kidding) Actually, the honey is collected from the frames
or comb and then put into a centrifuge – a spinner – the
front of the comb is sliced off cleanly and the whirling pulls
the honey off. It is then collected in the vat, allowed
to settle and then skimmed (sometimes with cheese cloth) so
that any
dirt, wings or body parts of trapped bees etc, is cleared. Our
honey is not cooked – it remains raw and unfiltered.
Can you squeeze honey out of the wax?
No. BUT you can get honey out of the natural comb – that which the
bees make themselves – by extraction.
But honey, without a comb as in a jar, can not produce wax.
What is the importance of the bee?
If you have eaten today then you will know – without pollination
most of what we eat – vegetables, fruit, nuts etc... and that which cattle,
sheep, pigs, chickens etc eat is predicated on a flower that has been pollinated,
and hence new seeds, new plants, more food. The grass and alfalfa the cattle
eat enables us to eat them.
How long does a bee live?
Workers and soldiers live 3-4 weeks. In
the summer months the Queen bee can literally shred her wings
to nothing as she has a great need to forage, sometimes many
miles away as the food supplies diminish, and because of the
need to keep the hive cool (wing flaps). In the winter
months the bee can live up to 4 months - food is already stored
in the hive as honey and the pollen serves as protein. There
is little need to forage though the hive temperature does need
to be maintained at the 95-96F at all times; difficult in
snowy regions.
The drone lives until he is of no ‘service’ to
the queen – then he is dragged out of the hive to fend
for himself – and as he does not know how to find food
or care for himself, he dies. A queen lives up to 7 years – but
as she lays 1,500 to 3,000 eggs a day her productivity is somewhat
exhausted within 3-4 years, hence most bee keepers exchange
queens every 3 years – some
every year.
How many bees to a box?
The box is called a hive.
The colony – a thriving one – should have from 30,000
to 80,000 bees.
Remember the turnover within the colony, the community, is
constant – every
3-4 weeks.
What gender are bees?
The worker and soldiers are all females.
The drones are male and exist only to ‘serve’ the
queen.
The queen’s sole purpose is to produce. She is female.
The hive is basically all ladies.
How many queens to a hive?
One – and if there are more there is battle to the end until ONE
survives.
Though the other day I saw something most extraordinary – two
queens on a single frame with their own entourages surrounding
them, each cohabitating with the other in harmony!!! Incredible!!!
If I boil honey long enough will it become wax?
No – you will simply kill all the good aspects inherent IN honey.
And vice a versa – you can not squeeze a chunk of wax to
create honey..
How do you ‘make’ the honey
in the kitchen?
Actually I /WE DO NOT MAKE the honey. The bees make the honey.
How does the bee make the honey?
The worker bee goes out to forage/collect nectar from
the plants. She then brings it back to the hive in its mouth where the nectar is given
a special enzyme by that worker. The newly created combo (honey) is then
injected into the comb cell by the bee and when the cell is filled that individual
cell will be capped with a thin layer of wax to seal in the honey.
How do I get the honey out of the jar?
Try a fork, a knife, or a spoon and give it a little
twist – dip
and twist and should any drops stick to the side simply wipe them off so as
not to attract ants. The twist is an art and a fun one to master.
Do you flavor your honey?
NO. the flavors comes from the flowers as every flower
has its own taste – hence the avocado flower is the prelude
to the fruit itself – avocado honey does not taste like
the fruit as it has come before; the buckwheat, alfalfa, wildflower
all have their own distinct flavor which comes from the flower
itself.
Should I refrigerator the honey?
NO – NEVER. Simply keep it on a shelf, not to be forgotten hence
to be used. Should the honey ever crystallize (a natural inherent quality of
some honey) then simply place the container in a pot of WARM water which will
soften the crystals and bring the honey back to its original state at time
of purchase. Crystallized honey is sometimes preferred – a bit
of grit is fun sometimes.
How do your bees know which flower to go to?
We situate the hives in areas with flowers whose flavors
we want and when the honey comes in (the bees make their honey)
we take most of it off (always leaving them some) and start
the process all over again. If we are lucky and the conditions
have been good we might get two or maybe three ‘take offs’ of
honey. When the flower stops blooming we simply move the bees to another
location. Hence we are known to be migratory bee keepers. Like nomads in the
desert, always on the move, looking for the next flower.
How do bees
keep warm?
Bees flap their wings and keep clustered.
The hive temperate must be maintained around 96-98F.
How do bees bring back pollen?
Pollen is gathered, at random, from plants when bees
brush their legs against the flower’s interior where
it clings to the bees legs so that one can actually see
little yellow, red, green, brown, black, purple (pollen
comes in all different colors as the flowers are all different)
pollen seeds – their
legs look like they are wearing puffed up colored socks. The
gathered pollen is sticky.
How does the bee keeper get the pollen?
The bee keeper sets up a ‘trap entrance’ which brushes off the
collected pollen from their legs when they enter through the grate – it
is then gathered in a small tray. The bee is not harmed nor is it bothered.
A bee keeper would only set up a certain number of hives for gathering this pollen.
Does pollen make honey?
No. Bees make honey from Nectar - the juice of the plant. Pollen
is the 'sticky dust' on the flower which is brushed off as
the bee passes from flower to flower (pollination) - these
gather on her legs as little pellets/granules (sacks) and the
co lour varies from orange to yellow, black to purple, green
to brown.... As the flowers are all different. Pollen gathering
by the bee is intentional. She goes from plant to plant gathering
the pollen in her mouth, then compacts it and puts the pollen
onto her legs thus making pollen balls which are very visible
as she flies back to her hive.
Do you steal the pollen from the bees?
No - but we do take some of it. The pollen itself
is the bee's protein so it would not be wise to deprive them
of it. Bee keeping is a symbiotic relationship – we both
survive through each other. The bees do not use all that
is collected so on selective hives and only at selective times
do we use a 'catcher' which is placed at the hive's entrance
- the pollen pellets/granules are then brushed off the bee's
legs into a tray as she enters. This is a simplified explanation
but it serves to answer the question.
How is pollen good for you and what do I look for when
buying it?
Some report that it gives them energy. One should look
for a variety of color as all flowers/plants are different.
How would I use pollen if I were to buy it?
Sparingly, a little at a time, to begin with - the reason
being to see if you will have an adverse reaction such as stomach
aches, heat flashes, rash, closing of the throat, increase
in blood pressure. One begins with a few pellets each
day to 'test' one’s reaction then increases to teaspoons
etc. Pollen can be taken with jam /yogurt /in cereal/ tea/
eaten straight (though it does taste pasty)... ALL pollen needs
to be kept in the freezer - shelf life 4 months then it gets
'hairy' which means time to throw it out - being kept IN the
freezer will not 'block' freeze it so do not worry about the
ability to spoon it out. There is none.
If I place a box over the plant will I get honey?
NO. Only bees can make honey. The box will not.
How do you get honey from the plant?
Again – we do not make honey. The Bee makes the
honey. We simply place the box/hive in the area we are interested
in taking off/harvesting honey i.e.. Cactus (the desert)/ Avocado
(the grove) / Alfalfa (the field) / Wild Flower (the mountains).....
How would I know if I was allergic?
Many people are quick to say they are allergic to a bee
sting when in fact they are not. A sting most often results
in an ouch and then sometimes a swelling (treat with ice or
handy wipe). An allergic reaction will
result in a quicken of the heart, a closing off of the throat
(hardness to breath). You will indeed know the difference.
A sting can ‘hurt’ for some time / one hour but
if you are around 15 minute after the sting to complain about
it then you are not allergic – you simply have been stung.
Not very different from a mosquito bite or an ant or a cactus
thistle/pricker or a rose bush thorn (though I have found those
more painful by far).
What do the diesel prices have to do with the price of honey
or food?
All farming is done with diesel trucks/tractors etc..
All transportation from 'farm' to super market/distributor is on trucks which
run on diesel fuel.
All transportation to farmer markets is on trucks, which run on diesel fuel.
Within 3 days' time we totaled over 1,400 miles in diesel from transporting bees.
What does the decline of the honeybee have to do with the
honey price?
Just ask Haagen Daaz - just ask the growers of
vegetables, nuts, fruits –
no honeybees and there is
no product - no seeds for next year's growing.
How many times does a bee flap her wings?
A bee flaps her wings 240 times per second as verse to other
insects who only flap between 140-160 per second.
Please direct any questions to klausebees@yahoo.com
Comments & Testimonials
Please send any comments or testimonials
to klausebees@yahoo.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Subject: Your Fabulous Honey
Hi Erika & Klaus (and a buzz-buzz to the
bees!),
Loving the wildflower honey! Use it every morning in my chamomile tea. I
have severe allergy/sinus problems and I have to say, since making this honey
a regular part of my diet, I have noticed a slow but steady improvement in my
health! I'll probably be placing another order for a couple of jars sometime
in November. I also think I'll try some of the honey soap bars next time
too!
Paula of Pico Rivera
Subject: Andy Rooney
Dear Mr. Koepfli,
On behalf of Andy Rooney I would like to thank you for the
three jars of delicious honey that we received yesterday...
Our morning tea has never
tasted so wonderful.
Susie,
Associate Producer for Andy Rooney
Subject: your honey!
Hi, This is Sukhee, I received honey today and it's great!!
I would like to make an order for.........
Sukhee (Repeat customer.. victoria,
vancouver, canada)
Subject: your honey!
Hi,
I have received my order in perfect condition and already tried all the products.
Everything is excellent! (Note: You wrapped the honey jars in "the Pink
Sheet" the Financial Times! I really enjoyed looking at the pages. I use
to subscribe back in the 1980s.)
I found you via the links at the California Beekeepers
Association which I located via the National Honey Board.
I was specifically searching for locally grown, raw, honey.
The locally grown was very important to me because I am experimenting attempting
to get some relief from environmental allergies -- grasses, trees, pollen. I've
been very allergic my entire life. I've been through desensation injections years
ago with mixed results. Trying raw, locally grown honey was very recently suggested
to me by a coworker who is probably very tired of hearing me wheeze, cough, and
sneeze my way through every workday. She worked with someone years ago who had
a doctor suggest this as a solution to them and they received some relief. I
started using your products Thursday night, as soon as I unpacked them. Honestly,
it is subtle at the moment but I don't feel quite so congested. I am hopeful!
I am so glad I found you.
Thank you again,
- Karen Holley
Subject: your honey!
Hey there, I just wanted to drop you a line
and say that I love your honey! I have been using honey
in my morning coffee for years! My wife picked up a
bottle of your alfalfa honey during a visit to L.A. (or somewhere
in California?) and now I'm hooked!
Thanks for the wonderful liquid gold!
- antz yent wettig
Subject: Re: Klausesbees
happy eaters
I am certainly one of them. I could never eat honey
before....something about it that hurt my teeth. This honey
is different...perhaps because it is organic....don't know...but
I prefer it to any jam or jelly on the market. It is
a kin to the wonderful maple syrup that I used to eat in
Canada only different in flavor, a little thicker in consistency
and definitely more mellow. It makes a wonderful gift
any time of the year. And now, when I have a cold, I can
have my tea and honey without imagining that my teeth will
fall out.
IT'S GOOD STUFF!!!!
- NJS
Subject: Re: Your fabulous
honey
The jar of honey that you generously gave to me is finally
gone. I ate most of it one spoonful at a time, straight
from the jar. It was some of the most wonderful honey
that I've ever had, and again I thank you very much for your
generosity. Each spoonful was like a yummy little hug
of love.
Thanks, Klaus!
-Susan
Subject: Honey
Thank you so much for the sage honey. It is
very good and I love eating the honeycomb (but I think the
alfalfa is sweeter)
Ti Amo,
Grace Rolek (Child Actress) Website:
http://www.gracerolek.com/
Subject: Honey
Been meaning to let you know that I did pick
up a jar of your Wildflower honey in Toluca Lake at the Honey
Baked Ham place. Loved it. So flavorful!! A
little more expensive that the market ones, but so much thicker,
you don't have to use as much. Well worth the price
----and you may QUOTE me..
Luv/br
Just bought another jar of honey yesterday. --Hmmmm!
-Better Rae
Please send any comments or testimonials to klausebees@yahoo.com