Author Archives: Chris R. - Beekeeper

Our spring/summer 2021 harvest has been completed with some interesting results. The majority of the honey from our farm fields yielded quite a different flavour than last summer. The crazy weather (early warming, June drought, July rains) caused some traditional nectar sources to fail but others to emerge. As a result the main crop hasContinue reading “Summer 2021 Honey!”

It was a very busy December and January for Tiddley Bee. Despite the lockdown and other restrictions, we still saw a great deal of honey leaving our home shop, and sold at our booth at The Mill Christmas market, and our retail locations such as La Dolce Vita Bakery, and Prudhomme’s market. We are continuingContinue reading “We have honey!”

This Christmas is clearly going to be a tricky one for most of us. Lock-downs, travel restrictions, and supply chain issues are affecting each of us. Some workers are putting in more hours in stressful environments, while others are laid off or working from home, meanwhile, no one really knows what Christmas and New YearsContinue reading “Christmas Shopping at Tiddley Bee Honey”

Tiddley Bee Honey is thrilled to announce the addition of four Niagara businesses who sell our honey. This enables discerning honey fans to purchase our honey from the following locations as well as from us directly by curbside pickup. Please check them out and let them know we sent you! Fehrhaven Farm Market Check outContinue reading “New Retail Locations!”

In Ontario, honey offered for sale must have key information printed on labels.  Honey bought directly on farms is exempt from some rules, but anything available at markets, stores, or online must include the following: INGREDIENTS LIST:   This is printed clearly as “HONEY – MIEL” (miel is the French translation).  Any additions to the honey such as spices,Continue reading “Reading Your Honey Label”

Check out this story in the Manchester Guardian about British beekeeping and recent scientific studies regarding honey for treating sore throats and coughs…. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/aug/21/british-apiarists-knew-it-all-along-honey-is-the-bees-knees

May was a crazy month for our Tiddley Bees. Like many other apiaries in Niagara, we had several swarms from our hives – but luckily, all but one was recovered and are now enjoying life as a new colony. With other additions from Humble Bee in Hamilton, and Krystal Apiaries in Waterdown, our little operationContinue reading “Welcome to June!”

Honeybees can swarm due to a number of factors in the hive and out. Most often it is the result of perceived lack of space in the hive and a need to expand the colony to a new location. With the early spring, and then cold snap, many beekeepers in the area are experiencing unusualContinue reading “Swarming Bees”

Despite an early warming in March, which brought the first intake of pollen to our hives, our area is only now getting to the temperatures that are required for the bees to collect nectar – which is the basis for the production fo honey. Their initial pollen intake was really colourful with orange, yellow, blueContinue reading “Nectar and Pollen”