And Now A Word About Beekeeping . . .
Unlike the aforementioned falcon, the bee has no role to play in vineyard management. You see beehives in vineyards simply because people like honey and vineyards are a fine place for bees to make it. It makes sense when you consider that good honey and good wine both owe a lot to terroir.
This video I took during Cakebread Cellars‘ American Harvest Workshop takes you inside a hive on their Suscol Springs Ranch that belongs to Helene and Spencer Marshall of Marshall’s Farm Natural Honey. Fast forward to the five-minute mark if you just want to see what the queen bee looks like up close, but if you do watch the whole thing, notice that while Spencer takes apart the hive and bees begin flying around, Helene remains calmly uncovered. I went full body armor, pulling my hand out of a glove only to sample the honey straight from the comb, which was floral and herbaceous and delicious enough to make me risk a stinger.
Posted: October 4th, 2010 | Author: Jennifer | Filed under: In The Vineyard | Tags: Cakebread Cellars, Napa Valley