Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Rob Shepler on July 7, 2012 at 9:19pm

Thank you Paul!

Permalink Reply by Diana Calkins on July 8, 2012 at 7:25am

I'll use the candy mix this winter.  Thanks!

One question though.  My candy making experience taught me to cook to lower temperatures due to high altitude.  The first time I made peanut brittle in High Rolls I followed the recipe temperature recommendations and it burned big time!  Afterwards I did it by lowering the temperature recommendation by 12 degrees (our water in HR boils at about 200 degrees instead of 212 degrees) and it turned out perfect. 

So the question, do you make temperature adjustments when making the candy?

Permalink Reply by Ralph Ketter on July 8, 2012 at 7:25am

Thanks for sharing your secret recipes Paul

Permalink Reply by Paul McCarty on July 8, 2012 at 10:50am

The temps I gave are what I use here at 7000 feet. You'll know when you reach that point because the mix stops being cloudy and clears up like water. Almost instantly. It also gets "crackly" sounding. Besides that, I have never been able to get it to take more heat. The temp listed is the point at which the mix stops taking heat.

I had plans to make these bricks and sell them on a large scale for $12 bucks a brick, but my sugar supply has run a bit low. I like candy bricks because there is no mess to clean up, the bees like them, they need no water to eat it, and a brick will feed a hive for a month. They are also easy to crack open the box and toss in a brick on a cold day. Dry sugar works, but it's very messy, the bees carry it out like trash on warm days, and you have to chip it out with a chisel in the Spring. Very traumatic for both me and the bees.

I have a whole list of "secrets" I should share I suppose, at some point.

Permalink Reply by Kevin Schwebel on July 8, 2012 at 3:19pm

I'm curious - what's the purpose of the vinegar? Does it act as a preservative?

Also, do the aromatics help with mites at all,  or are they for something else?

Permalink Reply by Patricia Drake on July 8, 2012 at 3:33pm

Where did you find the lemongrass oil and spearmint oil? I tried Nature's Pantry but they did not have it.

Permalink Reply by Ralph Ketter on July 8, 2012 at 3:48pm

I got lemongrass oil at Nature's Pantry about 6-8 week ago and they had four or five 1-ounce containers at that time. Maybe they had a run on it with the new beekeepers around.  It might be worth asking again.

Permalink Reply by Rob Shepler on July 8, 2012 at 3:55pm

Me too! Natures Pantry, we must have cleaned them out.

Here are some more recipes from Zia Queens website, they are out there for the world to see, so lets give them credit and enjoy their hospitality. From Mark and Melone;

"Mark’s Supplemental Pollen Patty Mixture

*8lb Protein Supplement*

Granulated Pure Cane Sugar 2.5#

*Do not use brown sugar, or molasses

Brewer’s yeast 1#

+ 1 lb. Nutritional Yeast (optional)

Mega Bee 1#

Canola Oil (disrupts scent of tracheal mite) 1 cup



Powdered Garlic 1 TBS/Pound of Patty

2:1 ratio syrup (honey or sugar water mix) 2.8# (.95# H20: 1.85 # sugar)

Yields a total of 8 pounds of Protein Supplement

**can make 8 -1lb. patties or 4- 2 lb. patties*

SYRUP RECIPE: granulated pure cane sugar and water

Spring Syrup 1:1 Water/Sugar Ratio by weight. 1 gallon of H2O to 8 Pounds of Sugar.

Fall Syrup 1:2 Water/Sugar Ratio by weight. 1 gallon of H2O to 16 Pounds of Sugar.

Heat water to warm and add sugar. Do not boil sugar with water! Do not use brown sugar,

molasses or powdered sugar for liquid syrup recipes. Herbal tea (such as chamomile, spearmint,

and lemongrass) can be made with water; allow to cool slightly before adding sugar.

Zia Abeja Elixir- herbal essential oil supplement

**makes 7-8 gallons of syrup*

1 cup water

1 tsp lecithin

1/8 oz. spearmint oil

1/8 oz. lemongrass oil

Heat water with lecithin until dissolved. Put water/lecithin mix into sealable, shakable

jar/container. Pour in essential oils. Shake well. Add to 7-8 gallons of either 1:1 or 1:2

sugar/honey syrup. Elixir can be fed directly or spritzed on combs (avoid brood cells).



Fresh garlic (Powdered garlic if dissolved well) can be steeped in tea before adding to syrup

or diluted honey."

 

Permalink Reply by Rob Shepler on July 8, 2012 at 3:57pm

Kevin, it is my understanding that the vinigar brings the PH down closer to that of honey.

Kevin Schwebel said:

I'm curious - what's the purpose of the vinegar? Does it act as a preservative?

Also, do the aromatics help with mites at all,  or are they for something else?

Permalink Reply by Diana Calkins on July 8, 2012 at 3:58pm

Patricia, we got our lemongrass oil at Mountain View Market in Las Cruces.

Permalink Reply by Kevin Schwebel on July 8, 2012 at 4:09pm

Oh, I see.. thanks Rob.  That's probably important here, what with the water almost hard enough to walk on.

There is also an herbalist here in Cruces that sells essential oils and stuff. I havent' been there for a long time, but she used to have mint oils and such. They make their own, as I recall...the owner is an PA or LPN or something. The shop is at 339 Alameda. 

Permalink Reply by Paul McCarty on July 8, 2012 at 7:30pm

The vinegar is to make it more like honey. It is a nosema preventative. I put it in everything I feed them. I am feeding sugar syrup right now, mostly because they draw comb from it, but the best food for them is candy in my opinion. They can eat and get nutrition from it, it does not stimulate robbing, and it lasts a while. The only really good thing about syrup is they draw comb from it - they will not from dry sugar or candy. Candy takes some effort to make though.