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In This Issue
A good place to start when viewing our site is Our Timeline Page. It will summarize what is going to happen next at the Farm.
Click here to visit the Timeline...
A Quick Look in this issue....
- + We have been pruning vines this past month
- + Lots of people purchasing Gallons of Honey - Is it time to stock up?
- + New Package Bees installed to replace losses.
- + Summer is here! - Birds on Sale in Beeswax Candle Shop
- + New FAVORITE LINKS Blog article - A collection of Wine, Honey, and Beekeeping links - Updated all the time!
News from the Vineyard
 This year most of the pruning was done on weekends in April and May.
Click here for more images of our crew...
A few spring frosts have made things interesting this year. It will cause a slight shortage in a few varieties - although most will be just fine.
The Ancient Method That Keeps Afghanistan’s Grapes Fresh All Winter
 Kangina is simple but effective.
BY STEFANIE GLINSKI MARCH 25, 2021Afghans developed this method of food preservation, which uses mud-straw containers and is known as kangina, centuries ago in Afghanistan’s rural north. Thanks to the technique, people in remote communities who can’t afford imported produce are able to enjoy fresh fruit in winter months. But even in villages like Ahmadi’s, near the capital, the tradition is kept alive for good reason. “Have you ever seen another method that can keep grapes fresh for nearly half a year?” Ahmadi asks with a laugh. Click here for the rest of the story...
There are a couple of basic guidelines that need to be followed when using honey to sweeten a wine, but all-in-all it is a very simple process. As is the case with sweetening any wine you need to add potassium sorbate as a wine stabilizer, otherwise the new sugars from the honey will start fermenting again. Read the article on E. C. Kraus site...
Mead
talonwinebrands.com/blog/Mead
Mead is one of the most delicious, wonderful things you will ever experience. But what exactly is mead, you ask? Many are familiar with the word, and know that it is a type of alcoholic beverage, one that brings to mind the Medieval and Renaissance ages…but that’s about it. Read on to learn all about mead!
What is Mead?
Visitors to wineries often ask, “What is mead?” Mead is basically honey wine: water and honey are fermented together by yeast, and one can add spices, grains, hops, or fruit. The result is a beverage that is somewhere between wine and beer. Mead tends to be stronger than beer, usually having an ABV of 5-20%. One of the world’s oldest liquors, the consumption of mead dates back more than 4,000 years ago, and was common the world over: Asia, Europe, Africa and Central America all had variations of mead. It was a beverage enjoyed by all classes, from peasants, to merchants, to royalty. Interest in mead declined over the last few centuries, but is now finding popularity once again in the 21st century. Click here for the rest of the story...
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