Hand-Crafting
Beekeeping
Early June 2022 I started Beekeeping! I had taken online classes and read a few things about beekeeping in the past; though Ive known I wanted to keep bees for nearly 15 years. One of my online courses was lead by a local woman beekeeper. I have always looked up to strong women, especially women leading a hobby that could, by some - or in the past - be considered male dominated pastime. Late May 2022 my family and I were blessed with the means to afford a co-op membership at a local farm. When I asked who was keeping the bees the farm told me her name; a name I couldn't forget - the queen bee I had admired so much from before! I was very hesitant and intimidated to approach such a beautiful, intelligent woman, requesting to be an apprentice! I was sure she had a brood nest of bees awaiting to serve her..but I asked and the next week I was beekeeping! She has been gracious enough to take me under her wing and now I am her worker bee. It is honestly the most complex subject I have ever learned. Honey bees are amazing creatures that we can not live without. Being a part of that, learning bees, their life cycle and ways of life is amazing. Im so grateful to get to know the bees as well as my new friend - queen bee.
Harvesting Pine Resin
Pine Resin & Pitch On The Tree
Pine resin is hand harvested by me from a previously wounded spot on a White Pine tree. The distinct aroma of pine sap is attractive and the resin offers a beautiful golden tan brown color to admire. This Pine Resin represents one example of how I incorporate wildcrafted herbalism into my products. White Pine is by far my favorite Evergreen to work with for Apothecary purposes. The benefits of Pine Resin on the skin are special and unique in that it offers antibacterial, antiseptic, anti fungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-itch properties and much more! I am harvesting this pine resin to incorporate it into several salves I make.Pine resin has a gummy sticky texture and that continues on into the salve. After ethically harvesting pine resin, I bring it home and purify it fireside before adding it to the body products to remove all bark and pine needles. I feel like it adds res a smoke scent to the salve that is perfect! Who doesn't like the smell of a pine log on the fire?
Purifying The Pine Resin
All Done & Ready For Salve
Please only ethically harvest if your planning to try yourself!
Purifying Beeswax
Beeswax capping from honey harvest
Added water and bring to boil
The relationship humans have with honeybees dates back 9,000 years! Bee's provide our world with so much abundance and are critical for our food sources. Save the bees 🐝
Beeswax is the only wax used here at Herbal Meadows Botanicals. I source my wax from my hives here in West Michigan and filter it myself before use. Beeswax is known to provide restorative skincare. I use beeswax for many of my handcrafted organic skin care products as well as other household items but I also enjoy making beeswax candles. Beeswax candles burn longer than any other wax with no soot. Beeswax also pulls toxins out of the air, is hypoallergenic and produce negative ions. Negative ions are wonderful for increasing oxygen in the air (great for the brain), cleaning the air (of virus, bacteria, dust, mold, pollen, pet dander and other allergens), beneficial to the lungs, better sleep, normalize serotonin, improve mental performance and more! Beeswax is amazing and wonderful; just like the bees themselves. Most of our wax is harvested from our beeswax capping's, a process used when we harvest honey. We then add water to help clean out the remaining honey; there is only a little left in there by the time this processes is started. Then we bring that to a boil and let it cool. By the time the pot has cooled, the was and debris have separated and the water, honey and byproduct id discarded while the wax is rendered.
Completely melted
