Save the Bees with Perennial Flowers

Spring is officially here! Is your garden ready to go?  

Beekeeping is an amazing way to get back to nature and we get excited about Spring because we get to see our bees buzzing about!  Spring allows us to check up on the bees after a long cold winter to see how they are doing.  We get to watch the flowers bloom and the bees pollinate the flowers.  We love Spring because we can plant flowers, fruits, and vegetables too.  We have learned over the last several years that there are so many types of flowers.  That is why we break down the flowers into different categories with customers when they are planning their garden.  This allows customers to customize their garden with the flowers they will enjoy while helping the bees.

After we talk with customers about annual flowers we then talk about perennial flowers. Perennial flowers will come back the following year; these types of flowers will not need to be replanted each year.  Now depending on the type of flower, they can bloom anywhere from 2- 5 years.  They are a benefit to the garden because they have a better root system and are able to reach lower into the soil for food and water.  Some of the perennial plants will self-sow in the fall which means you spend less money.  Many of the plants offer more flowers.  This gives more nectar for the bees to forage on for example: lavender, Russian sage, catmint, and spirea are loaded with little flowers.

Here are some perennial flowers that will complement any garden:

-Coneflowers                                     -Blackberries                                      -Shasta Daisy

-Russian Sage                                    -Lavender                                           -Peony

-Dutch Clover                                    -Thyme                                              -Raspberries

-Catmint                                             -Spirea                                                -Chrysanthemum

Our first suggestion is to make a plan on how you would like your garden to look and then look around at prices if you can.  Whatever flowers you pick we suggest planting from seed so that you save a little money if you can.  If you don’t have time or are looking to get your garden up faster, we recommend shopping with small local plant nurseries.  Do your best not to use pesticides if planting for the bees!  Mostly, have fun coming up with a garden that you will enjoy looking at and spending time in!  We can all help the bees one flower at a time!

From Our Hive to Yours,

Bee Queen

Happy New Year; welcome 2023!

Have you started, finished, or set your resolutions for the year?

Over time I have seen a lot of people get excited over New Year’s Resolutions.  The New Year allows a fresh start of what people want to accomplish for themselves.  I have seen many that once a mistake happens they stop the resolution.  I have also seen where people make a huge list of things they want to change and by item two they shut down because it is taking too much time.  I decided a while ago it is time to stop that habit because, let’s face it, I have done this too.  So I decided finally to call them New Year’s goals instead.

Last year was a great start to this new mindset.  If I made a mistake I was able to still keep going toward the goal.  I decided to set time limits on when I wanted goals to be accomplished.  I was careful with my time limits as well; if I thought something would take a month to finish I set it for two months.  It takes time to make changes and in our, fast paced, society we have to stop having expectations to complete it all at once.  It gave me the added benefit of time because things pop up in life.  I noticed with the extra time limit that; if I focused on it I was getting it done fast and it felt like I was getting it done early.  That alone helped boost my confidence that I was getting things done in a timely manner. 

The other reason I started using New Year’s goals was because I had noticed I constantly set the bar too high.  I would set a resolution and instead of seeing progress I saw failure.  For me; setting goals showed the steps I needed to complete to get to the end.  By seeing and doing one step at a time I was able to see victory and keep going.  If I did not complete the one step the day I was hoping to, I gave myself grace and got it done the next day I could.  Growing up I learned the only way to complete a goal or to get what I wanted in life was to work at it.  However, I did not learn if you don’t get it done that minute it is okay to have grace for yourself and just get it done another day.

This year we have decided to fight harder for people to plant gardens.  This has been a big goal for the past several years and has been a difficult fight to fight.  Our first big step has been to get people to buy bee friendly flower seeds.  We are no longer just fighting for honey bees!  We have noticed a huge decline in native bees that live around us.  There are many native bees that are becoming endangered; bumblebees are the most notable ones.  It is hard to tell how many other native bees are coming close to being on the endangered list or are gone already.  The biggest factor to the decline in bees is; not enough flowers are being planted.  Bees need the sweet nectar of flowers to correctly survive.  Humans cannot survive on candy bars and bees cannot be sustained on sugar water.  Let’s work together this year to plant more gardens and flowers!  Help Save the Native bees!!!

From Our Hive to Yours,

Bee Queen

Confessions of a beekeeper so long 2022!!!

What lessons did you learn this year?

The first lesson I have learned this year is; beekeeping can have its hard times.  Mother Nature keeps her own schedule and has her own rules.  Some years are amazing; perfect weather, perfect amount of rain, and great flower growth.  The bees can bribe the beekeeper with honey as a thank you for their care and everyone is happy.

Then you have years where weather seems to take over and everyone struggles.  Winters can be harsh with low temperatures and snow storms threatening the bee’s survival.  Spring showers can be too little or to intense which will affect the nectar flow of the flowers that are planted.  Then you have drought conditions where there is no rain or minimal rain.  No flowers.  No nectar.  No honey.  As beekeepers we cannot control everything; especially, Mother Nature.  

What we have been trying to teach people is; beekeeping is not just about having bees and getting honey.  Our belief is that it is far better to be a gardener first and learn the plants and the flowers the bees need to survive on.  Too many hives and to little plants can decimate the bees.  They need an ample supply of food.  In general, almost two acres of constant blooming flowers is needed, per hive, for the bees to correctly survive and make it through the winter.  When too many bees are introduced to the ecosystem there becomes a fight for the few flowers that are there.  The bees will not produce much honey and beekeepers will be torn to give sugar to the bees or shut down operations. 

The second lesson I have learned is; too many honey bees in a single ecosystem can devastate the native bees!  Bees like bumblebees, carpenter bees, and sweat bees have been here forever.  We need to get along with nature, not over populate the bees, and learn flowers.  It is far better to over populate the land with flowers then with too many bees.  Too many people want to be beekeepers to save the bees.  It is a good thought, but a bad idea!  Every country has scientists, veterinarians, beekeepers, and a whole host of experts to ensure the bees survival.  Right now honey bees are not as threatened as people think.  What is being threatened is; our ecosystem, the native bees, and not enough flowers being planted.

We need to honor nature, not overpopulate bees in any single area, and make sure to study and plant flowers!  More bees are not the answer to saving the bees; more flowers ARE!!  Our advice for the year 2023 is; to bee a beekeeper start off as a gardener first!!

From Our Hive to Yours,

Bee Queen

Small Business Saturday 2022

Do you shop Small Business Saturday?

Small Business Saturday is coming November 26, 2022!!! Why is this exciting? Bee-cause we can help you knock out that Christmas shopping list with you!

Here are a few reasons to shop small for Small Business Saturday:

-You are supporting a local business.

-Shopping with a small business means; WE GET TO SUPPORT OTHER LOCAL BUSINESSES OURSELVES!!!

-You are supporting friends, family, or neighbors who work for those small businesses.

-Your investing in your community; some small businesses have kids and they send them to local activities or they go out and do activities themselves.

-You are supporting other small businesses; for example you are supporting local beekeepers by shopping at The Honey Cottage.

-You get personal customer service with a small business.

-You will find unique gifts for friends and family.

-This day allows many businesses to stock up on product for the holiday season!

The best way to shop small on Small Business Saturday:

-Write a list of the people you need to shop for and map out the small businesses you feel you can best support.

-Set a budget for the people on your list; so incase you find something you did not expect you have the ability to swap ideas!

-Don’t bee afraid to come down and just look around at the small businesses; you might find something you did not expect.

-If there are certain things you are looking for; reach out to the business and see if they can set aside items so you can purchase them on Small Business Saturday.

Other ways you can help Small Businesses for Small Business Saturday:

-Tell your friends and families about the small businesses you like going to.

-Share on social media.

-Make it a shopping day and have lunch with your friends that you have not seen in a while.

-Shop online and send out gifts early so they are there in time for Christmas.

-Get gift cards!!

-Most of all; BRING PEOPLE IN!! SHOW your friends and families why you like certain shops. For example: we do honey sampling here at The Honey Cottage!

What ever you decide to do please support as many small businesses that you can on November 26, 2022! Small Business Saturday helps small businesses in so many ways. Everyone will bee buzzed by the help you are giving this holiday season!

Don’t forget we accept American Express at The Honey Cottage!!

From Our Hive to Yours,

Bee Queen

Honey Balsamic Chicken Salad

Do you struggle to eat salads?

One of my favorite lunches to eat is salad! I love that you can make it different every time by adding different vegetables, fruits, meats, and dressings. This salad is one of my favorites because you can cook up chicken at the beginning of the week and have it ready to go to make a salad. I find I eat more salads during the week if I have a different one each day. So like Monday would be a chef salad, Tuesday would be honey balsamic chicken, Wednesday would be tuna salad on a bed of lettuce, and so on. I also like salad because most of my dressings are made with honey which is a benefit for my allergies! I hope you enjoy this recipe!

Ingredients:

2 cups of lettuce

2 Tbsp. shredded carrot

1/3 cup of cucumber

½ tomato

½ cup shredded chicken

10 green olives

1/3 cup feta cheese

2 Tbsp. wildflower honey

2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Wash the lettuce, carrot, cucumber, and tomato.

Have a rectangular container with lid ready; I like the 8.5 x 6 x 11 size so that I have room to shake the dressing around.

Take the lettuce and either tear it or cut it into bite sized pieces; you can also use bagged lettuce to cut down on time.

Take the carrot and grate it on top of the lettuce; then mix the lettuce and carrot together.

Dice the cucumber, tomato, and chicken into small pieces and place on top of the lettuce.

Sprinkle with green olives and feta cheese.

Mix the honey and balsamic vinegar together and put in a small container to drizzle on top when ready to eat; keep the dressing outside of the fridge so the honey is easier to mix. When you are ready to eat the salad; mix the dressing and drizzle it on top. You can place the lid back on the salad and give a little shake to help the dressing coat the salad.

ENJOY!

Tips:

– Add a squeeze of lemon for a hint of citrus

– Add 1/3 cup of shredded purple cabbage for a splash of color

– Try the salad dressing with fireweed honey

Buzzing by from,

Bee Queen’s Kitchen

Honey & Carrot Cupcakes

Have you ever made something that you were just super proud of?

Oh. my. gravy! This was the recipe that really caught me off guard this year. I had made them earlier this year as a surprise for a friend and holy cow they were so yummy! We do not eat very much sugar and I was actually concerned that they would not be sweet enough for the people I was sharing them with. After I had taken them out of the oven; I let them rest for 10-15 minutes. Then, I added a swirl of the winter spice whipped honey right on top. The honey soaked in and they were bee-licious! I hope you enjoy this special surprise!

Ingredients:

½ cup coconut oil (liquefied)

3/4 cup of winter spice whipped honey

1 tsp. of vanilla

1 cup of apple sauce (room temperature)

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup crushed walnuts

3/4 cup shredded carrot

1 Tbsp. of cinnamon

1½ cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking soda

Frosting:

12 ounces of cream cheese room temperature

1/4c- 1/2 cup of winter spice whipped honey

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F. Mix together the coconut oil, winter spice whipped honey, vanilla, and apple sauce. Next, mix in the raisins, crushed walnuts, and shredded carrot. Then add the flour, cinnamon, and baking soda; mix together thoroughly. Line cupcake pans with cupcake liners and spray with your favorite cooking spray. Fill the baking cups with batter 3/4 of the way full; makes about 12 cupcakes (you might get a couple more). Place in the oven and cook for 17-20 minutes or until the tooth pick comes out clean, then pull out of the oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes. Take the winter spice whipped honey and place in a pipping bag; make a medium sized swirl on each cupcake.

Whip 12 ounces of cream cheese together with the winter spice whipped honey, put in a pipping bag and decorate the cupcakes. Add some crushed walnuts for garnish and enjoy!

Tips:

• Instead of cream cheese add whip cream
• Use salted bourbon vanilla whipped honey instead of winter spice
• Add cranberries instead of raisins

Buzzing by from,

Bee Queen’s Kitchen

National Honey Month 2022

Are you as excited about bees as we are?

We are so happy because it is National Honey Month! Everyday is our favorite day, but to have an entire month to talk about bees and honey is even more FANTASTIC!!! Every year we do 9 facts that we think are pretty cool about: bees, beekeeping, honey, and anything about the beehive! So here are some neat things to know about the life of bees!

1- Do you know there are bees called Giant bees? They live in the Himalayas and are approximately ¾ inches in size.

2- Bees will do a round dance that communicates to the other bees that flower nectar is near the beehive.

3- Do you know that it takes at least 10 grains of pollen to pollinate a flower? That is why bees are so efficient and important for pollination.

4- The queen will lay two types of eggs; worker bees come from eggs that have been fertilized and drone bees are
from eggs that are not fertilized. The queen bee is the only one that can lay eggs for queen bees; these eggs also must be fertilized.

5- Bears do not attack beehives for the honey! Bears are going after the larvae and pupae in the beehive. It is a quick fat and protein source for bears; the honey is just an extra sweet treat.

6- A queen bee is fed royal jelly her whole life; she also never leaves the hive, except for her mating flight and to swarm.

7- Do you know that bees have mini claws on their feet that allow them to stick to flowers!

8- There are many honeys that will not taste like the flowers that the bees visit. Cilantro, pumpkin, sage, and coffee
blossom honeys are just a few that taste different from the flowers.  

9- Worker bees are the ones that make royal jelly! The worker bees have glands in their heads that produce the liquid
to feed the queen!  

We hope you enjoyed learning about bees with us this month! Please share with everyone you know and spread the word about how special and amazing bees are!! Help save the bees with us!!

From our hive to yours,

Bee Queen

Good- Bye 2021!!!

Is anyone else ready for 2022?!?!

At The Honey Cottage we want to take a moment and just say thank you!!! We are very grateful to all of our amazing customers. You helped our small business make it to the 20 year mark in October. You shared our shop with family, friends, and neighbors. You helped make a hard year special and a blessing. We were able to bee apart of births, weddings, office meetings, and work celebrations this year. Honey was given as gifts and thank you’s to; teachers, preachers, accountants, to clients from realtors, and so many more new customers! We are so happy that so many people are sharing the joy and love of honey! As we get ready to step into 2022 we pray everyone has a very safe and Happy New Year’s!!!! Thank you for making 2021 at The Honey Cottage so amazing!!!

Have a Bee-licious New Year!!!

Bee Queen

National Honey Month 2021

Wohoo!! One of our favorite months of the year is September because it is National Honey Month!! We are very blessed to bee able to talk with everyone about honey, beekeeping, and bees every day! However, we think the whole world should learn more about bees and how they work and function. So, every year we share 9 things we think many people may not know about bees or honey!

1-Bees use water for keeping the beehive at a proper temperature! The bees will put a thin layer of water down on the beeswax and move their wings very fast circulating the moisture and cooling the hive. The world’s first swamp cooler how cool is that?

2- Orchid bees are a species that only pollinate orchids; they will share nests with other orchid bees, and they live in tropical locations!

3-Honey is a humectant; this means that honey will draw moisture to your skin! That is why honey is used in so many lotions, face masks, hair conditioners, soaps, and lip balms!

4-The first modern beehive was made in 1851 by L. L. Langstroth! He is known as the father of beekeeping and was the one who discovered what bee space was in 1852. Bee space is known as a ¼ of an inch to 3/8 of an inch. This is where bees will walk around the frames of honey in this space and they would not fill the space with wax.

5-One of the oldest drinks on the planet is called mead; this is a fermented honey alcohol. Many cultures have been enjoying mead for centuries; Greeks, Irish, and the Mayans, just to name a few. Many mead makers now add different fruits and flavorings to offer an even bigger variety of mead!

6-The first honey extractor was invented in between 1864 and 1865 in Venice by a man named Major Franz Elder Von Hruschka!

7- Many species of bees will build exposed honey comb on tree limbs. The bees will use propolis as a lining between the tree limb and the honey comb. This lining of propolis traps the ants that try to take the honey!

8-Milkweed and orchids have something called pollinium; this is a bundle of pollen that gets carried to the other flowers for pollination!

9-Do you know that if it gets too hot on the inside of the beehive the beeswax can melt?

Please share with everyone you know and spread the word about how special and amazing bees are!! Help save the bees with us!!

From our hive to yours,

Bee Queen

Buzzed with gratitude for 2020!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Are you ready for 2021?

Oh my heavens what a year! We don’t know about you, but 2020 left us feeling bee-yond thankful and grateful for our AMAZING customers. Yes, this year has been hard, but it has also left us humble for our community and customers that shop with us! You took the time to really make an impact on our lives.

So, we wanted to take a moment and just say Thank you. Thank you for shopping with us, thank you for sending honey to your family and friends, and thank you for keeping us going. Our community has been absolutely fantastic in doing everything they can to shop local. Customers who live far away have been shopping local and even on-line. Thank you for calling ahead to place orders. Thank you for the customers that are sharing us with their families! We had a family come up from Texas and came in because their sister needed honey as well!

Thank you for helping your neighbors; we have had a great number of customers shop for their neighbors too! Thank you for fighting for your community. Thank you for the soldiers who are not only fighting for our country, but who also placed orders. Thank you to the military families that are sending honey over sees so they have a piece of home!

Thank you to Kangaroo Coffee for buying gift cards for their customers. Thank you to the customers that bought honey sticks to give as gifts to the hospital workers! Thank you for those who have come in and bought honey to give as gifts to their friends, families, and loved ones. Thank you to the new customers that are now finding the sweet spot in Colorado Springs!!! Thank you to the customers that come and visit us for your honey needs!

As we celebrate the New Year, we are reflecting on what an impact all of you have made not only to us, but in our community. We are seeing more togetherness even while we are apart. We are seeing people connect more even if it is over video chat. We are seeing more people caring, loving, and making an impact.

We are bee-yond grateful, thankful, and truly buzzed by all of you! Thank you for making 2020 a little easier to buzz through! We hope 2021 is fantastic!!!

From our hive to yours,

Bee Queen