Hunting & other rural pursuits

[StoneCold]

The hedgegrows are full of wild strawberries. Smashing

[CillDioma]

[habanerocat]

The cold winds from the mountain are calling soft to me,
The smell of scented heather brings bitter memories.
A wild and lonely eagle up in the summer sky,
Flies high o’er Shanagolden, where my young Willie lies.

[anon42928009]

Love that song

[KinvarasPassion]

Don Stiffe does a lovely version of this song.

[anon42928009]

The FIL used to always sing it.
‘Long long before your time’ was another of his. There would be the odd lad disappearing when he’d start it.

[horriblecunt]

@KinvarasPassion and lapsed poster @Ambrose_McNulty will be getting the grant from UNESCO now, the cute hoors.

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2024/1205/1484917-dry-stone-walls-unesco/

[habanerocat]

The honey lady made her Christmas delivery there now.

But she gave me this honeycomb free. Not sure what to do with it. I remember the father use get it like that years ago but forget how he got the honey out. Any ideas @glenshane?

[LionelRitchie]

Ate it as is, delicious. Like nature’s crunchie

[Julio_Geordio]

@LionelRitchie

Ate it as is

Wood n’all

[glenshane]

Has the honey set/crystallised?

[Massey]

That’s the vent from over your cooker

[habanerocat]

@glenshane

Has the honey set/crystallised?

No, the young lad poked it and it’s draining out of some of the combs.

This is the mess I’m trying to avoid.

[glenshane]

Scratch the top layer of wax off with a fork…hold the frame over a bowl and let it drain. A very light touch with a hair dryer will speed it up a little. You’ll still have plenty of bits of wax in the bowl. Let it settle for a few days, scoop as much wax as possible off the top, and then run the honey through a sieve.
I wouldn’t be too fussed on eating the wax - it’s what’s known as foundation - a sheet of recycled old wax…its placed in the frame to give the bees a start. They’ll chew, stretch and shape it into comb.
Comb honey should be white ‘virgin’ wax that the bees have made entirely by themselves. A lot more labour intensive, so less honey as a result. Hence the higher price.
A generous luck penny, fair play to her.

[habanerocat]

Thanks for that. I’ll make a start on it.

But I don’t understand. Isn’t all honey formed in a comb?

[glenshane]

Yes, but wild bees make the comb entirely by themselves. Beekeepers usually provide them with a flat sheet of foundation…to save them using a lot their honey/energy in making wax.
The proper way to make ‘comb honey’ for retail is to just give bees a wooden frame (it might have a tiny strip of wax at the top, jsut to get them started)…then all the wax is new/pure.

[FlakeAway]

I enjoy this from time to time . You’d be chewing the comb for days.

[SAFE]

“They’re eating the pets”

[Fagan_ODowd]

First batch of the wild garlic pesto made this year. Three substantial jars of it.

[Massey]