Mike Austin is a born beekeeper. A farm boy from Yakima, Wash., Austin is in charge of more than two million Italian honey bees. Scarcely two years after taking a beginner’s bee-keeping course, he has established 35 colonies of Italian honey bees, and is treasurer of the Eastern Panhandle Beekeeper Association. During his travels in Europe and Asia, he became intrigued with the different apiaries he saw.
After retiring, Mike took the beekeeping course that launched him into his full-scale apian venture. “There’s a lot to learn—bees will surprise you. They are incredibly complex to manage, and there are many approaches to beekeeping. You need to be patient and observant, and it helps to be a woodworker to maintain the hives,” he said.
Honeybees play a pivotal role in our ecosystem, and are responsible for pollinating more than a third of the nation’s food crops. Pollination is big business and global in scale. Apiaries from Australia and Argentina ship bees to pollinate our orchards and crops—also aiding the spread of bee diseases.
Since 2005 a mysterious malady, called “Colony Collapse Disorder,” has been devastating the nation’s commercial apiaries. Apiculturists have been working frantically to identify possible causes, from cell phone signals to syrup, from genetically modified corn to pesticides to miticides. The presence of the varroa mite, which weakens bee colonies, is suspected as a primary agent that enables other invading pathogens to overcome the hives.
Fortunately, small beekeepers like Mike are largely unaffected. Unlike the migratory commercial apiaries that traverse the nation to provide pollination services, their colonies are relatively isolated from diseases. The State of West Virginia is actively assisting beekeepers, providing technical assistance and support.
Honey is as varied as wine. Many of the same factors that distinguish a fine vintage from plonk—a particular blossom, soils, or weather patterns—determine whether honey is pale as straw, or dark as chocolate. It all depends on the flowers that bees forage. In spring Mike’s bees produce a light honey from tulip poplar, black locust, and clover. He expects to sell his first crop of honey in June.
For information about the Eastern Panhandle Beekeeper Association and upcoming courses, call President Gerry Fitzgerald, 304-274-1564.
Lemon Walnut Loaf with Honey
A simple, delicious tea cake that improves with a few days aging. 8 Tbs. unsalted butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
Grated rind of one lemon
2-1/4 cups sifted all purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
3/4 cup sour cream or whole milk yogurt
Lemon Honey Syrup
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter and flour a 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan.
Beat the butter with the sugar until the mixture is creamy. Add the eggs one by one, beating well after each addition until the mixture is light and fluffy. Stir in the lemon rind.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the butter mixture alternately with the sour cream, mixing only until combined. Fold in the walnuts.
Turn the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Meanwhile, combine the sugar, honey, and lemon juice in a small pan and heat gently, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside to cool.
Cool the loaf in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a rack set over a pan. With a skewer, poke holes in the top of the loaf about one half inch apart. While the loaf is still warm, spoon the syrup over the top, allowing each spoonful to soak in before adding more. Allow the loaf to cool completely before wrapping in parchment or plastic wrap.
