Candle Making

On November 29, 2014 Jen and I attended our first Candle Making Workshop. It was offerred by the kind folk at the Richmond Bee Association. We had no idea what to expect...it turned out to be sooo much funnn!! Great company, wonderful home made goodies, coffee and we learned the basics of candle making.

Fun was had by all!

We got there at 1 PM and things were just starting to get under way. The folks with the know how had the bees wax melting (the entire room smelled wonderful), tables and floors covered with plastic so spills were of no concern, molds...both silicone and metal...were set out along with wicks, mold release spray and all the bits and pieces one needs to make lovely candles. Another group had the dip candle set up laid out...wicks with attached weights (metal nuts) and bars to drape them over. The dip tank was a double boiler affair with someone constantly making certain the wax was at the correct depth. Food and coffee were laid out for all to enjoy.

Wax for the mold table

It was amazing how much bees wax we went through! Huge blocks were hammered into chunks that were heated and stirred in big pot. Smaller aliquots were then shifted to the molded candle table and the dipping vat. Although the wax look pristine in its' processing the occasional bee body found its way into a molded candle.

Breaking up wax for the big pot

Topping up the dipping vat

We learned the process for poured, molded and dipped candles. Jen and I focused on learning how to make molded candles but when we saw the lovely dipped tapers that were the bounty of three hours of dipping we resolved to try that next year!

For molded candles there were three methods:

1. Silicone molds
2. Metal molds
3. Plastic molds

Each method had its pros and cons.

For silicone molds it was important to secure the wick...wick size being determined by mold size. Once the wick was in place elastic bands were used to keep the edges of the mold tight together so wax would not leak out. The molds were set over two paint sticks so the wick sticking out the bottom didn't cause the mold to tip. Once set up the hot liquid wax was poured in. Then there is the wait, and wait, and wait until the wax cooled and hardened. It was a cold snowy day so several of us put our molds in the snow...that hastened the process. Once solid the elastic bands are removed and the candle is released in all its' glory.

Silicone mold

With the metal molds the issue was making certain the hole where the wick went through was completed taped or puttied over so the was didn't run out as the mold was filled. Also a mold release spray was applied to aid in releasing the hardened candle. Once filled the waiting period was as with the silicone molds. Releasing bees wax candles from the rigid metal molds seemed to be fraught with difficulty. But...the clever folk with experience advised putting the mold in the freezer for a bit and once really cold running the mold under a stream of hot water. Voila...the beautiful wax candle pops out without a blemish!

There were a couple of firm plastic molds. They came in two halves that you clamped together. The trick seemed to finding the clamps! The wick was laid in place, the two halves clamped together and the mold was filled with molten wax. Again the wait for it to cool. Once cooled the clamps are removed and the two halves are separated. This is quite a simple method. It resulted in a lovely shiny wax surface but unfortunately the mold seams were very visible.

Silicone molds

Metal and wax molds cooling in the snow

Some people filled tea light bases, mason jars or other receptacles. This seemed very straightforward but was simplified if a thin layer of wax was put in first to anchor the wick to the bottom. Once this hardened the rest of the receptacle was filled with molten wax. Easy peasy candle making.

Tea lights, metal molds and mold release spray

The dipped candles were a simple but mindlessly boring task. Nuts were tied onto each end of a long segment of wick. This was then draped over a stick. Most set a few wicks on their stick. Then the process of dipping the wicks in the hot wax and carefully lifting them out allowing the excess wax to drip back into the dipping vat. They wait until that hardens and then dip again. A long line of candle makers dipping, waiting and dipping again. They had good times talking to other dippers but it was hard to dip and eat! The candles made using this process were beautiful, elegant tapers.

Starting to dip

The wax builds up

There was no station for rolled wax foundation candles. I suspect they are not conducive to a large setting as each sheet of wax would need to be the perfect temperature for manipulation and rolling. There was were silicone molds that made a good knock off of the real thing!

Despite our efforts I know we dropped a lot of wax and made quite a mess. The organizers simply smiled and said all they had to do was roll up the plastic coverings. Easily said but in reality I think there was a lot of cleaning up after the cheerful made off with their handiwork.

A huge thank you to all who organized and ran this event!! I have marked it as a must for next year.

Beautiful dipped tapers

From metal and silicone molds

The Workshop Rewards!

West Coast Chill

EquiFlora Winter Sky

We have been experiencing mild wet weather for the past few weeks. Not long ago we had a couple of days over 10 degrees centigrade. Today is a different story ...snow and -8.... quite a shock to the senses. I am glad the hives are sporting their winter wear; insulation, quilt boxes, sugar blocks and protection from precipitation be it rain or snow.

Nucleus row in winter clothes

Nucleus hives in winter clothes

When preparing the hives it always seems premature...sunny days, warm weather flying and quilt boxes. Yet when the cold snap comes I am always grateful the work has been done.

Hives with precipitation roof

Some beekeepers are toying with thermal cameras that piggy back on their I Phones (Flir One and Seek). The idea is to pick up heat generated within the hives...the more heat their is the healthier the hive is. The only issue is that I am not yet certain what, if anything, you can do about the cool, bee weak or beeless, hive in the cold of winter. I guess for some just knowing is some sort of comfort.

This is our first year attempting to over winter a top bar hive. We started it last July and they managed to make 10 bars before the summer dearth set in. The hive is wrapped in silver coated bubble wrap insulation...I think it is intended to insulate water heaters. It also has a metal roof, a wooden divider placed after a sugar block and a saw dust quilt in the unoccupied section. The tarp hangs over the occupied portion o the hive. Sacking acts as a wind break on the west end. Fingers crossed that they will survive.

TBH with winter clothing

Despite the cold weather we still enjoy the outdoor ovens and fireplaces. Last night Ryan fired them up. He cooked chicken, carrots, potatoes and yams on the Tandoor oven. With the fireplaces burning cheerily we were toasty warm out in the fresh air enjoying our meal.

Cob Wall Fireplace

Cob Fireplace

Winter is also the time Jen and Ryan lay the ground work for new Hugel gardens. Logs, branches and twigs from tree trimmings make up the Hugel skeleton. Humans work whilst bees cluster!

A hugel in progress

To learn more about Hugel gardens and cob works please visit Jen's webpage .

2013....the cycle starts anew

2013...we learned at lot!

In the spring of 2013 we set up our new hives....3 in all. Soon after the bees arrived...all the way from NewZealand. It was quite the experience getting them settled in their new homes.

Most of the woodenware was built by Ryan O'Neill and Jen Rurak...a considerable savings all round. Initially the hives were a screened bottom board, single 10 frame deep with foundation and foundationless frames, a hive top feeder, a notched inner cover and a telescoping lid...all set upon a levelled hive stand. 

Shortly thereafter we set up two more hives. We really enjoyed working with them and soon increased our numbers to fifteen hives using local nucleus colonies! Now we had at least two strains of bees...local and New Zealand hygienic Carniolans.

It wasn't long before the bees multiplied and we added on another deep brood box. We had been warned about swarming but in our ignorant bliss were not even aware it was happening...at least we saw no evidence of a single swarm.

In June the when second boxes filled, we pulled off the hive top feeders and put on the first honey super...a somewhat shallower box (I could not lift full deep boxes). When the bees drew out wax comb on the foundation, filled the comb with nectar and capped the honey we would add another honey box. Some of the hives produced better than others...anywhere from one honey super to four of them!

When food sources dwindle in July we had a sharp learning curve regarding bees and honey robbing. Ryan soon produced several robber screens in hopes of keeping the honey in the hives!

In August the honey supers were removed and the hives were treated for Varroa mites using naturally occurring acid fumes...it was amazing how many mites there were in some hives whereas there was very little evidence of them in other hives. 

We extracted some of the honey and bottled it for family and friends to try. It was simply delicious:) The first drops out of the extractor looked like liquid gold.

In the fall the bees are offered sugar syrup to help them put up adequate stores for the long winter.

In November the bees are put to bed for the winter. They are given sugar blocks to munch on, warm shavings quilts for insulation and moisture wicking and insulation under the lid. The more exposed hives then had tarps draped over them.

In January when there is no active brood we did another mite treatment. After that they snoozed until the cheery blossom trees put on their display mid April.

Now the hives awake and the cycle starts a new. Their winter covers are removed and the hives are cleaned for spring.

Our plan was to grow our micro apiary by growing young Queens from our current stock and importing some Buckfast Queens from Fergussen Apiaries back east.

We also hoped to try some other hive configurations in hopes of better understanding the ways of bees.

EquiFlora Honey Farm...a micro apiary ...was now a reality.

How it all began...

Childhood memories.....

I was first introduced to the wonders of bee keeping back in the 1960s as a child "helping" my father manage his hives. I learned of Queens, workers and drones. Seeing the different types of bees, the young and the older ones and the brood developing from eggs into larvae then the capped brood and finally the magic of seeing a brand new bee emerge....workers from flat brood cells and drones from the domed cells. The Queens developed in special peanut shaped Queen cells. My father closely monitored the development of the Queen cells. Sometimes he started new colonies by moving a Queen cell and a few frames of bees to a new hive. Lots of looking mostly with joy and occasionally with dismay when a hive was struggling.

Catching swarms was very exciting. It also seemed to be accompanied by a lot of commotion but ended in the zen like feeling of observing the swarm calmly arranging its' new home.

The reward for the stings received along the way was the fall honey harvest. Back then we used a hot capping knife to take the top off the comb. Then the frames laden with honey went into the extractor. That extractor was a hand crank. As a child it was fun turning the crank, getting the frames to spin faster and faster until the golden liquid poured from the spout on the side. The honey was strained through mesh and then it was portioned into bottles. I hardly recall the bottling...I think the adults did that when we weren't around. The harvested honey supplied us with golden sweetness that would last until the next season when the honey bee cycle began anew.

Many years later my eldest daughter Jen and Ryan asked if they could put a couple of bee hives on our property. Needless to say, with fond memories of youth circling in my head, I readily agreed and the renewed cycle of bee keeping commenced.

Somehow it seems much more complex and work intensive than the bee keeping of my youth...I expect the reality is that my father did all hard work, paid all the bills and I participated in all the fun and wondrous aspects of bee keeping!

This blog is the journey of our venture into bee keeping and the production of pure, raw honey from our micro apiary... EquiFlora Honey Farm.