WINTER ACTIVITY

It was -12F this morning.  Not a day to be outside.  Our bees are all gathered in a tight cluster in their hives.  They will have no problem enduring this cold snap if they are properly fed and relatively mite/virus free.  All that we can do at this point is sit back, worry and wait for spring. 

Candle making is a wonderful way for beekeepers to take their minds off the cold and use the wax gathered during hive maintenance and honey extraction processes.  It turns the wax byproduct into something useful and beautiful.

Wax is gathered throughout the summer and fall.  Wax comes from damaged frames, cleaning of the top bars of frames, but primarily from the wax cappings gathered during the honey extraction process.  After being gathered it is washed to remove any residual honey.  Then it is melted; usually twice.  Once to consolidate the cappings into a more manageable mass.  Many beekeepers build or buy a solar wax melter to do the initial consolidation.  It is then usually melted a second time and filtered through cloth to remove contamination.  At this point I usually end up selling the wax in 2 pound bricks.  My customers use it for a variety of uses; making lip balm, making candles, waxing machinery to prevent rust, lubricant, etc.  This helps me offset my other beekeeping expenses.

Beekeeper Gerard goes the additional yard which greatly adds to the value of the wax.  He melts it a third time and makes candles and sells them to the public.  Here is an example of his handiwork.  I'm sure with a little encouragement Gerard would schedule a demonstration for interested parties.