During a honey extraction workshop organised a few days ago on our premises by our beekeeper Cédric MARCEAU, we took the time to visit and show the hives to the children of our employees.
Honey extraction workshop
Extraction is one of the key moments in the honey-making process. For the first time, we were able to take part in every stage of this exciting process:
- Removing the wax cover that holds the honey in the cells of the frame, using a special knife or a claw.
- Placing the frames in the extractor, which in our case was manual. The frames are fixed in the extractor and rotate around an axis. For all models of extractor, centrifugal force is used to extract the honey from the cells. After activating the crank and starting the rotation, the honey is projected onto the wall. However, this type of centrifuge requires a real effort to empty all the honey from the wax cells.
- The next steps involve filtering the honey to remove impurities (wax, etc.). Then it is left to rest and settle in a maturing tank, before being put into jars a few weeks later.
Visiting the hives
During the lunch break, our building was buzzing like the inside of a beehive. Children of all ages were waiting impatiently to put on their protective clothing and finally see the inside of a beehive. Cédric adapted to the young age of his audience. He was able to open a hive, take out one or two frames to find the queen and show her to them. It was a moment of observation that they all thoroughly enjoyed.
This workshop was an opportunity to bring our employees together, and to extend the meeting to the younger generation for everyone’s pleasure.
Beehives at ICE?
ICE has had 4 beehives installed over the past 2 years in collaboration with Abeilles et Environnement. You can find out more about previous workshops (hive products,, discovering hives) here. We’re proud to be supporting the beekeeping industry in our region through this environmental initiative, especially in 2024, which is proving to be a very difficult year for all beekeepers in France. Read the full article from Abeilles et Environnement on the subject.
18/09/24
