Today Julia brought home a bee hive, or more accurately a nuc box which is a small version of a standard hive and is more comfortable for a starter colony. We’ve been talking about it forever and today was the day. We weed matted a large spot and I built a stand. It was strange to feel the vibrations of the bees as I was carrying the hive pressed against my body. The box was pretty heavy and we think its already full of honey. A small hive like this can produce more than 50 pounds of honey a year. Although bees don’t pollinate cacao (midges do), they will help with pollinating all other trees and Julia’s vegetable garden. I’m really looking forward to trying the honey from neneleau. Also… filling chocolates with honey.
I planted a Duranta aka golden dewdrop next to the hive area. It’s a tall shrub and makes tons of purple flowers that bees love. This is their housewarming gift.
Originally posted on 2021-06-10, part of the daily planting journal behind Ha’a Chocolate’s food forest on Hawai’i Island.