Adding a “Super” to the Flow Hive
Watch our process and see what it takes to properly put on an addition to the Blythedale Ladies’ Hive!
Meet the Blythedale Ladies
Read about our journey from inspiration to the creation of a lasting home for our honey bees
Our Bee-ginnings…
31 years ago, a very beloved BEE was born to us - our son, Brookes Elliott Eggleston. Thus, a strong affinity and fondness for all things bees began!
Fast forward 25 years to a special trip my husband Gordon and I took to Iceland. Viewing the incredible Fridheimar Greenhouse fueled my interest in keeping bees. A hive was ‘on view’ behind plexiglass, and I was thoroughly enchanted by the activity of the bees. Read more about the Fridheimar Icelandic Greenhouses here!
After this life-changing experience, the desire to have a colony of my own was cemented.
The Flow Hive…
Our son Brookes shared some research he found on the “Flow Hive”. We were intrigued by the concept of being able to extract the honey without disturbing the bees and without any extra equipment.
After learning about the method we wanted to utilize, the next natural question was: where were we to obtain our first colony?
Tasting the Fruit of their Labor…
The honey derived from the hive is a lovely bonus our family enjoys. The distinct variety of flavors is a wonderful delight that we get to taste and share with our neighbors and loved ones.
But the real reward is being able to have a small part in ‘saving the bees’ so that they can play their supremely vital role in ecology.
Now that I am a flower farmer, the bees are even happier, which makes the flowers happier, which makes everyone happier!
It’s a real sym-bee-otic relationship!
Wisdom from our Neighbors…
We were extremely fortunate to connect with the esteemed lifelong beekeeper in our community, 80-years-young Jim Wood.
He kindly invited me to his bee yard and spent two hours with me showing me the basics of beekeeping, as you’ll see in the photo.
That day, I went home with my first hive. Since then, I have been using the knowledge Jim so kindly bestowed to me and tending the bees. I feel like I’m always observing, always learning, and never ceasing to be mesmerized by them.
Meet the Blythedale Ladies
Get a private tour of beekeeping life and taste the fruit of their labor.
Now you and up to three guests get the chance to experience beekeeping life up close and personal. Your group will be provided a beekeeper’s complete suit.
You’ll get an in-depth education on beekeeping life, an inside look at the bees’ own honey hive, and end the tour with a charcuterie board, local wines, and a special tasting of Blythedale honey.
Plus you’ll even get a small gift jar of our honey to take home!
Display their Artistry in your Home
Enjoy the result of the Blythedale Ladies’ craft! Visit the Bloom Shop where you can get CSA cut flowers grown by local hands and nurtured by our beloved fellow workers, the Blythedale Ladies.
