Pollen – ™ Harvesting pollen is easier than you think ™ You can install a pollen trap on the opening of your hive. ™ As the foraging bees pass through it knocks off some of the pollen and you can collect it as it accumulates. Propolis – ™ Propolis, or Bee glue is a resinous substance made by honey bees using sap from trees and plants as well as beeswax and secretions from the bees. ™ Propolis is super sticky and is often seen as a nuisance to beekeepers Propolis – ™ Although often seen as a nuisance, propolis has powerful antimicrobial qualities that guard again bacteria and fungus. ™ Many beekeepers harvest and sell propolis. ™ You can make products such as healing salves, ointments, tinctures, and even a wood varnish. Propolis – ™ There are several ways to harvest proplis. ™ You can scrape off of your frames and save in a jar until ready to use. ™ You can also use a propolis trap. ™ Simply place the trap where the inner cover goes and in no time the bees will coat the entire thing with propolis. Royal Jelly – ™ Roya Jelly is made from mixing digested pollen, honey, nectar with a chemical substance secreted from a gland in the head of nurse bee. ™ Royal Jelly is full of essential minerals, B-complex vitamins, proteins, amino acids, collagen, and essential fatty acids. Royal Jelly – ™ Just as many beekeepers raise queens to sell them, many raise queens in order to harvest royal jelly. ™ Because queens are raised entirely on royal jelly, there is a high volume of the substance in the queen cell. ™ To harvest, you simply extract the royal jelly from the queen cell. Refrigerate immediately. Mead – ™ Mead is a wine made from honey instead of grapes ™ It was the drink of choice for the Greek Gods and thought by scholars to be the oldest form of alcoholic beverage. More Than Honey – ™ There are numerous directions you can go with beekeeping. ™ Take your time and discover what you would like to do. This could change with time and experience. ™ You may decide you just want to help mother nature by helping honeybees live, prosper, and pollinate. Royal Jelly – ™ Royal Jelly is said to have many benefits including: improve skin health, boost collage, promote wound healing, heal dry damaged skin, supports fertility in men and in women, normalize blood pressure, and even reduce symptoms of PMS!