Santa Rosa Plantation Wildflower Honey: Beekeeping

Santa Rosa plantation dates to the 17th century, though the plantation house in its current form dates to only 1840. Santa Rosa has been home to bees and excellent honey since before the American Revolution. For example, the will of Captain James Gee (1694-1760) filed at Prince George County Courthouse on February 16, 1760 lists among the Captain’s possessions “7 bees and hives.” During the Civil War Santa Rosa plantation was very close to the siege line surrounding Petersburg but the house itself was not burnt down because the Federals used the house as a headquarters and a field hospital…the heart pine floorboards on the 3d floor are covered with many large blood stains from the wounded soldiers. In 1864 the Union headquarters and hospital at Santa Rosa were overrun by Confederate cavalry on their way to rustle 5,000 Federal cattle that were corralled at Coggins point, cattle that were meant to feed the Union Army but instead were driven back to Petersburg by the rebels and ended up feeding the Confederate Army, prolonging the siege of Petersburg until 1865.

“If the bee disappeared off the face of the earth, man would only have four years left to live.”-Maurice Maeterlinck, The Life of the Bee

Santa Rosa Plantaion BeeFarm: Home to the OLDEST Living Pecan Tree in Virginai

The Ancient Pecan of Santa Rosa

Towering above Santa Rosa and visible for miles around, being twice the height of the surrounding trees and other vegetation, is the mighty Ancient Pecan. Pecan trees are native to Prince George County and were cultivated by the Indians long before the English settlers arrived, but are still rather rare, since the abundant squirrels love to eat not only the Pecan nuts, but also devour the Pecan seedlings greedily. The trunk of the Ancient Pecan of Santa Rosa measures 24 feet in circumference. The Ancient Pecan of Santa Rosa is at least 350 years old, arguably the oldest living Pecan tree in Virginia. The long vertical scar on the east facing side of the tree, a scar possibly caused by a past lightning strike, has been the home of a colony of wild honey bees…could Pooh get his paw in there to scoop out the honey?

“Well," said Pooh, "what I like best," and then he had to stop and think. Because although Eating Honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know what it was called.” ― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

“If the bee disappeared off the face of the earth, man would only have four years left to live.”-Maurice Maeterlinck, The Life of the Bee

Showing posts with label Beekeeping. Show all posts

Saturday, January 30, 2016

Start Planning Your Bee Friendly Garden NOW!

IS YOUR HONEY POT EMPTY?

Try some of Santa Rosa Honey Farm's super delicious HONEY contact us and WE WILL meet your HONEY NEEDS!

Buy Now Using PayPal
Note: Shipping will be invoiced separately via PayPal based on quantity purchased!

DON'T DELAY: ORDER YOUR SANTA ROSA WILDFLOWER HONEY TODAY!

Friday, January 29, 2016

FINDING THE RIGHT SPOT

The Santa Rosa Plantation Honey Farm sign is that much closer to taking its rightful place. Digging has started. The pole needs to be painted, which means by Sunday the sign may be swinging in the Sweet Virginia Breeze!

DON'T DELAY: ORDER YOUR SANTA ROSA WILDFLOWER HONEY TODAY!

Thursday, January 28, 2016

ALL THINGS BEES: WHERE DID THE BEE SKEP GO?

At Santa Rosa Plantation Honey Farm we love all things BEES and here is something for all those BEE lovers out there who stitch as well as eat HONEY. An Authentic Antique Reproduction Sampler from Hands Across the Sea Samplers. These ladies are the experts when it comes to samplers and we just LOVE their first piece. WHY? Well, because the central motif of the 1791 Sampler by Miss Mary Ann Bournes is a bee skep. YES, that is the technical name for the style of hive used in the sampler. Look very, very, close and you can see the bees a-buzzing in the stitched piece. Not to mention the bees which surround the luscious pink roses. NEXT to BEES I LOVE Needlework and this is a piece that combines both!

Why don't we see BEE SKEPS in use today? Well, today bee skeps are considered a decorative garden item. Just so you know skeps are conical in shape and were usually made from braided straw. Although they were once the popular style of hives used by apiarians, they were discarded when hives that could be opened to harvest honey or care for the bees were developed. A major drawback to the bee skep was the fact that the skep had to be destroyed to gather the honey, not to mention that it is now required that you be able to gain entrance to your hive for the care of your bees (there is a lot of work that goes into beekeeping). For example, the hives need to be attended to for medication against mites, so skeps have become a thing of the past. No longer are they used.for bees, nonetheless, skeps are still lovely to see as decorative ornamentation in any garden or hanging on any wall enhanced with the beauty of a stitched BEE SKEP.

HAVE A HONEY OF A 2016!

P.S. YES, we still have HONEY from our fall harvest...NOT much but some! If you are interested in some super delicious HONEY contact us and WE WILL meet your HONEY NEEDS!

Buy Now Using PayPal
Note: Shipping will be invoiced separately via PayPal based on quantity purchased!

DON'T DELAY: ORDER YOUR SANTA ROSA WILDFLOWER HONEY TODAY!

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

THE BEES ARE OUT IN FULL FORCE!

The Bees survived the Blizzard! May the force of the BEES be with YOU in 2016 as they make HONEY!

AGAIN the weather outside is Sunny and the Snow is melting here at Santa Rosa Wildflower Honey Bee Farm!

HAVE A HONEY OF A 2016!

P.S. YES, we still have HONEY from our fall harvest...NOT much but some! If you are interested in some super delicious HONEY contact me and I WILL meet your HONEY NEEDS!

Buy Now Using PayPal
Note: Shipping will be invoiced separately via PayPal based on quantity purchased!

Order Your Honey Today!

Sunday, January 24, 2016

The Weather Has Broken...Sunny and Snow is MELTING!

It is Sunny and the Snow is melting here at Santa Rosa Wildflower Honey Bee Farm!

HAVE A HONEY OF A 2016!

P.S. YES, we still have HONEY from our fall harvest...NOT much but some! If you are interested in some super delicious HONEY contact me and I WILL meet your HONEY NEEDS!

Buy Now Using PayPal
Note: Shipping will be invoiced separately via PayPal based on quantity purchased!

Order Your Honey Today!

Sunday, November 22, 2015

Where else can you find Santa Rosa Wildflower Honey for SALE?

Where else can you find Santa Rosa Wildflower Honey for SALE? Check out these two sites:

LocalHarvest.org

Etsy Shop For Santa Rosa Honey

or you can purchase it right here...

Buy some Santa Rosa Honey it is "The Sweetest All Natural Wildflower Honey To Be Found!" We believe as Henry David Thoreau did, “The keeping of bees is like the direction of sunbeams," Try our HONEY and you will see!

Large: $22.50
Medium: $12.50
Small: $7.50

Note: Shipping will be invoiced separately via PayPal based on quantity purchased!

Order Your Honey Today!

Saturday, November 21, 2015

Fall Harvest is Done

The Fall Harvest is done!

Santa Rosa Plantation is the source for the sweetest all natural wildflower honey to be found! Hives are located in Prince George County, Virginia on the site of a beautiful historic Colonial farmhouse. Also located on the site is one of the largest pecan tree's in the state. Limited supplies are available. Order yours today! We will ship. Cost for shipping will vary based on the amount of honey purchased!

Large: $22.50
Medium: $12.50
Small: $7.50

Note: Shipping will be invoiced separately via PayPal based on quantity purchased!

Order Your Honey Today!

Monday, June 29, 2015