The word ‘buzz’ has a dual meaning for me today. The first being the warm, fuzzy feeling I was getting from drinking my Keller Estate bubbly in the afternoon. The second was the humming noise coming from the hundreds of honeybees surrounding the white wooden bee hives at my feet.
I think the first buzz was helping me tolerate the second.
We were spending this Saturday afternoon in Northern California indulging in some tasty Petaluma Gap wines, along with learning the art of Beekeeping, an adventure on my bucket list that has been begging for a checkmark. Keller Estate, who is known for their award-winning Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, once a year invites people to assist in extracting honey from the bee hives located on their land.
It was a dream invitation — wine tasting and honey extraction.
We arrived to the winery and were immediately served a glass of their 2010 Brut-Bubbles, this should help ease the nerves and keep us semi-comfortable while wearing a head to foot beekeeping suit. The white jumpsuit was definitely not designed for comfort or fashion, it was made for security purposes, which was perfectly acceptable to me. I made certain that no skin was exposed, even putting on rubber gloves.
Preferably, I will walk away from this experience without getting stung.
Even though a bee sting is a fear of many, honeybees are like cows they only get angry when they are really agitated, their sting is purely a protective measure.
We were walked to the hives by a master beekeeper from the Planet Bee Foundation, a nonprofit organization with a mission to change the world one bee at a time. He started with using a smoker, a way to subdue the bees when opening the hive. This helps to calm the bees, so they are less likely to sting.
Please use extra smoke.
He then lifted the lid and pulled a frame out to see the fruits of a years labor. It was a dead hive. Dead hives can happen for numerous reasons; either from pesticides, starvation, freezing or it could be queenless. It’s hard to tell the real cause without doing a complete autopsy. These hives were still buzzing, just with robber bees that were invading them, stealing the little honey in them.
The next hive was a different story, it was completely live and full of honey. After pulling the frame out we used a soft bristle brush to separate the bees from the honeycomb. Then we put the tray in a transfer box, ready for the next process.
This procedure continued on for the rest of the hives.
All the while, bees were fluttering in all directions, several attached to my suit. The most unsettling thing was hearing them buzzing right next to my ear and frantically wondering if they had found their way into my protective gear. They hadn’t.
Once the box of honey-filled trays was full we took it inside for the next step, which was scraping the honeycomb. It was necessary to lightly scrape, breaking the round shape of the honeycomb without removing all the delicious honey underneath.
This was a sticky situation.
These frames were then put into the spinner, a honey extractor. This round cylinder rotates, flinging the honey off the tray while the wax comb stays intact. The honey is then passed through a screen, removing the bits of wax.
Our honey is now ready for consumption. All in a days work.
After getting out of our steamy beekeeping suits, the husband and I cooled down in the Keller Estate wine cellar, on our way to get a celebratory glass of Pinot.
Keller Estate | 5875 Lakeville Hwy., Petaluma, California | Map | Website
The beekeeping experience at Keller Estate is a once a year event, though wine tasting is year round.
Follow them on Facebook to be notified of their next honey extraction.
Traveling Soon? Use my Favorite Resources for Booking Your Trip!
Book Your Flight
Skyscanner is my favorite flight search engine, because it checks dozens of airlines so you can easily find the best fare deals. You can also select ‘cheapest month’ to find the lowest fares for your destination (I use this all the time!).
Book Your Accommodations
I use both Booking.com and Expedia for hotels, because each offers a couple different hotel choices and I like to compare the reviews on each one. If you have a group or are looking for more of a home atmosphere, head over to VRBO or AirBNB that has houses, apartments and even just a room for rent in every price range.
Book Your Rental Car
If love the freedom to explore like I do, driving from place to place is the best option! I always book with Discover Cars for the best prices and top brand options.
Book Some Fun Tours!
Viator and Get Your Guide are my go-to search engines for cool bucket list experiences! Each one can have different tours, so check both—why limit yourself, right?
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel can be unpredictable. Whether it’s a last-minute cancellation, an injury, or (ugh) theft, things happen. That’s why I recommend never leaving the country without travel insurance. Here are my faves: Safety Wing and World Nomads.
Get Packing & Travel Essentials Ready
Check out the Bucket List Journey Amazon Store to find all my favorite travel essentials. Everything from Packing cubes, to travel adapters and toiletry containers to walking shoes.
*Lastly, check travel.state.gov for visa requirements and safety information.
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California Dreaming: 9 Incredible Winter Stops in the Yosemite Valley
Go Wild Mushroom Hunting in California’s Napa Valley
Have A Very White Christmas in Yosemite Valley
Spend An Afternoon at Hog Island Oyster Farm in Tomales Bay
Drive the 72 Miles Around Lake Tahoe
The Petrified Forest in Calistoga: California’s Famous Trees
A beautiful story Annette! As an upcoming beekeeper I really enjoyed reading this article :)
Thank you. I’m not an expert but I tried my best with learning beekeeping.