-Posted by Isaac

Yesterday I resumed work on the big barn lean-to. 

Back to the projects. We had to slog through the remnants of Irma this week, but by mid-morning on Friday the sun had come out, the temps approached 80, in the distance the soybeans were turning to gold, and those 16 hives you see below the locust trees were just a'roaring. For quite a while I simply enjoyed my perch, sat and listened. It was electric- the radiant flux, the fluid living air, streaming with sound and fury. What a day to be alive!

All's well in the land of Honeyrun. The bees have found the goldenrod, and if the weather cooperates, we're going to have ourselves a productive week. The girls will pack in that rich fall nectar, and I will do, well, whatever I darn well please. Within Jayne's approval, of course. The projects are calling. It's time to hang up the bee suit for a little while.

The three week summer harvest proved not quite as bad as I anticipated- about half of our normal. A Monday morning optimist I am. And securing my optimism, this last Monday we finished up the first round of buckwheat. Not bad-- Close to 700 pounds! 

This came off the hives here at home. You can see that it's not quite as dark as true buckwheat honey should be. I think I left too much spring honey on in June. But that's ok, the next round will be darker. The girls are already working the second bloom.

We're going to have sort of a succession bloom. Half now and half will go until mid October, providing the frost holds off.

The work really doesn't end when the last drop of honey finds its way to the bulk tank. There are the supers to think about. Three and a half trailer loads are now cleaned up and stacked neatly (or crookedly) in the barn.

And the cappings wax is still being rendered. This week Jayne put this cool shot on Instagram:

That's wax from the spring and summer harvests combined. About 400 pounds, which will make quite a few one ounce blocks.

So bring on the crafters!

How good it is. The summer harvest is over. The Honeyfest is over. The weather is lovely and the goldenrod is gorgeous. The bees are busy being bees.

It's time, for a while at least, to take a breather.