Cloverfield Apiary

We just completed another honey harvest! We have 30lbs of mid-season honey at the usual price of $12.50/lb or 2 for $20. Were down to our last 10 lbs of spring honey so get it while we have it!

The Lowell Offering was the world's first magazine written entirely by women. The young authors worked in the various mills of the industrial city along the Merrimack River. The publication is a window into the mid-nineteenth-century community of mill girls from 1840-1845. Can you spot the relevance to us? On the 1845 cover, there's a skep hive! For thousands of years, wicker baskets were the preferred method of beekeeping. Harvesting was detrimental to the colony so alternative methods were created to compensate for this. Bees and their history can be found everywhere!

Spring honey has been harvested and bottled. We're just waiting on labels! If you're interested in snagging a bottle or two, send us a note!

Did you know that during a single collection trip, a honey bee will visit anywhere from 50 to 100 flowers? Spring is on the horizon and if you're thinking of planting flowers to save the bees, here are a few historical suggestions that will grow here in New England: Bee Balm, Coneflower (Echinacea), Black-eyed Susans, Joe-pye W**d, and Goldenrod. If you have Dandelions or Clover in your backyard, these are the first nectar producing flowers for the buzzers. Let them grow! , , , , 🐝

Primitive beehives were made from woven straw covered with mud. Known as a skep, this older style of beekeeping is almost history. Very few keepers practice this ancient method. Why? Honey and Wax harvests are disruptive and often diminish or destroy the colony. There have been advancements since then that balance preserving the tradition and managing the colony. We love the idea of striking a compromise between the past and sustainability.

Beekeeping has been part of New Hampshire's history since the eighteenth century. On June 16, 1787, the New Hampshire Spy published an article "On Beekeeping" that is believed to be one of the earliest mentions of the topic in the Granite State. Five years later, Jeremy Belknap mentioned in his History of New Hampshire that the bees could be found in all corners of the state. The image is a view of Meredith with the White Mountains beyond.

On January 19, 1810, New England experienced a rash of wild weather that was lethal for many. The day before had been mild for winter. Temperatures reached 67 degrees! The warm air was actually a front for a storm. It caught many off guard. Over the next 24 hours, the thermostat dropped 100 degrees as winds whipped up and snow fell. The minus 33 degree chill was among the coldest days on record. It was tough on bees. They overwinter and keep their hives at a constant in the 90 degree range. Keepers now insulate but the hives of the day certainly would have struggled. More next week on some historic bee facts as we look into how bees were kept, then and now!

Sometimes we open our hives and we can see that honey production has dipped. It can be a real head-scratcher. Did we wax the frames enough? Maybe there are not enough flowers. A new study by Penn State University hitting the headlines this month suggests that climate change may be the culprit. We believe it! We've seen our ancient maple trees react to warmer temperatures because they are sensitive. Imagine what is happening to our pollinating buddies? You can read more about by heading over to the article on Study Finds https://studyfinds.org/climate-change-honey-bees/ , , ,

50 years of research reveals why bees are producing less honey Climate change is emerging as the leading cause of why bees are making less honey in the United States.

Did you know that beeswax candles were prized possessions in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries? They are known for their brilliant light, long burning time and sweet smell. They were made by the Chandler and were among the most expensive products one could buy at the time. What was used by common folks? Tallow candles were far more common and could not be more polar opposite. It was dim, smelled bad, and left terrible drippings that would go rancid if not regularly cleaned. Oil lamps replaced both, then kerosene, gas, and finally electricity. Today, candles can add a bit of ambiance to any environment, such as this 18th-century reenactment. Just be careful when an open flame is around. Always keep your eye on it! , , , , ,

Throughout 2024, we hope to bring you a bit of bee history to help our followers better understand our buzzing companions.

Bees were first imported to Massachusetts in 1638 (386 years ago!). Just two years later, most communities had an office for the management of a town-sanctioned apiary. In little time, farmers began to keep their own bees for good reasons. Honey and wax were expensive to buy and had a multitude of uses. Mead was chief among them as an alternative to hard ciders or beers. Wax helped preserve food and was used in medicines.

Would you like to learn something about bees? Post some questions and we'll research topics! The more ideas we get, the more we can share with you!

Sale! For the month of November, our local honey is $12.50 per lb or $10 per lb for 6 or more. Pickup at our Medford location! Cash or Venmo accepted. It sells fast so get it while you can!