January 21, 2020
How Do Honey Bees Spend the Winter?
Our guests have been asking how our honey bees are spending the winter. We thought that you might be curious as well.
They don’t fly south and they don’t hibernate–they have developed their own means for coping with the cold weather. In order to stay warm the bees gather in a central area of the hive and form what is known as a winter cluster. The worker bees gather around the queen. The queen is at the center of the cluster. Worker bees flutter their wings and shiver. This constant motion generates heat and keeps the inside of the hive warm. The worker bees shift from the outside of the cluster to the inside so they all have a chance to warm up. The temperature may range from 46 degrees at the outside of the cluster to 80 degrees at the inside. The cluster becomes more compact as the weather turns colder.
It takes a lot of honey to provide the energy for all of this fluttering and shivering. A hive of bees may consume 40 pounds of stored honey over the winter. On warm days, the bees may briefly fly out of the hive in order to eliminate body waste.
Hives can consume 40 pounds of honey over the winter.
Beekeepers Help Honey Bees Overwinter
The beekeepers’ role is to provide the best environment to help the bees succeed in overwintering. Jack and Sharon prepped the hives for winter this fall. The hives were robust with lots of stored honey for the winter. They cleared away weeds from the hives so that predators would not have a place to hide. They reduced the hive entrances so that mice and other small creatures cannot get into the hive during cold weather. To supplement the honey the bees stored, they made “candy boards” out of sugar and pollen substitute. The candy boards are placed in the top of the hive where it can easily be accessed by the bees.
They made sure the hives are adequately ventilated. Ventilation is important to keep the inside of the hive dry. The respiration of a hive full of bees contains quite a bit of moisture! Bees can weather dry cold, but wet cold can be deadly to them. Strong winds are common here, so they weighted down the outer covers of the hives.
We are hopeful that Queens Catherine and Sophia and their minions will overwinter in fine style. We hope to be able to offer you a taste of Tudor Mountain Honey in 2020!
January 14, 2020
Steak and Mushroom Pie is a Comfort Food
A rich and meaty steak and mushroom pie is nourishing and comforting on cold winter days! It is possible that the ancient Greeks were the first to use meat to fill a pastry crust. According to http://www.houseofnasheats.com the dish was called a “coffin” in northern Europe. During Medieval times magpies were a popular filling and thus the dish became known as a “pie”. Early settlers brought savory meat pie recipes with them to North America. The Americans, however, used a much deeper dish. They called it a “pot pie”.
Steak pies are popular today in Scotland during Hogmanay, the celebration of the New Year. The recipe below is adapted from Jeff Smith’s The Frugal Gourmet Cooks American. He says this recipe is an Old English favorite that remained popular with colonists.
Fried potatoes and peas also are standard sides.
Steak and Mushroom Pie
3 slices bacon cut into large dice
1 1/2 lb. chuck steak cut into 1/2″ pieces
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1/2 cup Madeira wine
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 lb, fresh mushrooms, lightly sautéed in butter
2 tablespoons chopped yellow onions
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon sage
salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons each butter and flour cooked to form a roux
1 double pie crust
Preheat oven to 375. Brown the bacon and remove from the pan. Brown the beef in the bacon fat. Add enough beef stock to cover and simmer the meat, covered, for about 30 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the roux, and cook for 15 minutes. Thicken the sauce with the roux. Roll out the crust to make 4 individual pot pies or one large pie. Fill the bottom crusts and top with the upper crust. Bake for 45 minutes until the crust is brown and flaky. Serves four. As Jeff Smith notes, “A good dry wine and a big salad is about all you need to complete this fine English meal.”
“The Frug” goes on to suggest using this basic technique with other fillings. Perhaps lamb and artichoke pie? Or chicken curry pie? Maybe even a vegetable pie! The possibilities are nearly endless.
The team at the Buckhorn Inn is sending you wishes for a happy, healthy, and delicious New Year!
January 6, 2020
Did Make Any Resolutions for the New Year?
The first New Year’s resolutions may have been made more than 4,000 years ago! The ancient Babylonians celebrated their new year in March when the crops were planted. During a 12-day religious festival they promised their gods that they would repay any debts and return any borrowed items. These promises could be considered the forerunners today’s resolutions.
Writing down the things you resolve may help you to accomplish them.
In Rome, Julius Caesar changed the calendar around 46 B.C. to make the year begin with January. January was named for the Roman god Janus, who looked backwards into the previous year as well as into the future. The Romans made many promises of good behavior to Janus.
For early Christians, the first of January became a day of reflecting on past bad behaviors and resolving not to commit them again. In 1740 John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, created the Covenant Renewal Service. These became known as “watch night” services. They became hymn-filled spiritual services that were an alternative to the loud parties to be found elsewhere.
The phrase “New Year’s Resolutions” first appeared in a Boston newspaper article on January 1, 1813. The author wrote about how people use the new year to make right whatever wrongs they had committed the previous year.
Modern Resolutions
Today most people seem to focus their New Year’s promises on areas of self-improvement. Recent surveys say about 45% of Americans make a New Year’s resolution. Sadly, only about 8% of them report attaining their goals.
At Buckhorn Inn we believe the new year brings a chance for a fresh start. We were delighted to celebrate with our guests as they had their fortunes told, vied for door prizes popular over the last 10 decades, ate a sumptuous meal and danced the night away.
In terms of goals for 2020, we remain charmed by a list we found in Gulf News https://gulfnews.com/lifestyle/community from a few years ago. We offer them for your inspiration. And don’t forget to tell us what you have decided to resolve for 2020!
Get a new skill. Adopt a pet. Learn a new language. Adopt a no-social-media day. Begin a daily journal. Budget and save. Create and recreate. Visit another country. Read more books. Show others you care.
Gatlinburg Weather
Click for weather forecast