The Buzz About Beekeeping

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Beekeeping gloves

Are you interested in beekeeping? The USDA reports that as of 2014, the number of colonies managed by human beekeepers was at the highest it has been in 20 years. Beekeeping has many benefits and for some is a hobby and others a money-making venture. In addition to the good taste of local raw honey, it helps you overcome local, seasonal allergies. You can use the beeswax to create lip gloss, candles, and even yummy gummy bears. If you are looking for a beautiful and bountiful garden, bees are pollinators and are responsible for cross-pollination allowing your vegetables and flowers to thrive. Lastly, Americans consume about 1.3 pounds of honey per person per year; aside from a fun hobby, beekeeping can turn into a profitable business.

When searching for used beekeeping supplies, there are plenty of websites selling supplies and offering advice. However, check your local city for beekeeping colonies that are willing to sell used beekeeping supplies but also share their knowledge to help you get started on this journey.

BEEKEEPING EQUIPMENT

For the beginner beekeeper, there are necessary beekeeper supplies to purchase. You can choose brand new equipment or look online for used beekeeping supplies.

  • Bee Hive Smoker – to settle and calm bees when checking the hives; any size will work, but the larger size is easier to use.
  • Protective Gear – gear to protect you like a veil, jacket, and beekeeping gloves.
  • Hive tool – a tool to help split or separate hives. Any flat bar will work, or a flat head screwdriver will work if you are on a budget.
  • Bee brush – to gently and harmlessly brush bees from a surface.
  • Queen Catcher – makes catching the queen easier and is a lot gentler on the queen.
  • Beekeeping Hives – for bees to do their work and live.
  • Bottom Board – wooden stand on which hive boxes rests.

5 THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR WITH YOUR NEW BEEHIVE

  1. Assessing colony health based only on the level of bee traffic – it is recommended new beekeepers inspect their hives once every two to four weeks but no more than that as the process of opening the hive is stressful for bees. Some beehives have windows to view bee activity, but this also causes stress for the bees as well, so use sparingly.
  2. Not recognizing queenlessness – a beehive can?t survive without its queen, but it may not become obvious to a beginner beekeeper that the queen bee is no longer alive. If a colony loses its queen, the hive?s population will decline, there will be a lack of eggs, lack of young larvae, and then the colony will have no brood at all. To confirm if you have an active queen, keep an eye out for eggs, if your queen is active then she?s laying eggs.
  3. Harvesting honey too early or taking too much from the beehive – As a general rule, don?t take honey from a colony in its first year. Wait until year two when they?ve built up a good reserve. Often bees aren?t strong enough yet to make an excess amount, and they need every drop they have to make it through winter.
  4. Not feeding new colonies – When you buy a package of bees in the spring, you must feed them as they are not used to being fed. Package bees are confused, weak, and have no honey and take at least a month of consistent feeding to get them on their feet. If you do not do this, you?ll likely lose them and your investment in the fall.
  5. Leaving out frames or placing empty supers – bees will build comb in any empty space you give them. Beehive hardware is designed to keep bees building only in the spaces you want them to build in. If you put fewer bee frames in a space meant to hold a certain amount, you will have a mess on your hands.


Once you?ve decided to move into beekeeping, purchasing and setting up your equipment is your priority. You can purchase your equipment brand new or look for used beekeeping supplies; both will work when setting up your beekeeping area. Once your beehives are set up, purchase your queen and bees. Good luck!
Great references here.

5 Best Ways to Cook Wild Salmon

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Beef

Wild salmon is a healthy protein that can be made into a delicious meal any night of the week, even weeknights! Wild caught Alaskan salmon can be made into all kinds of different meals, including garlic butter salmon in foil, maple glazed salmon, and even salmon pasta! There are so many delicious ways to prepare wild Alaskan salmon that can be either healthy or rich and hearty.

Here are five of the tastiest ways to prepare wild salmon!

1. Salmon quinoa burgers

Need a healthy weeknight meal using wild salmon? Try this delicious take on classic burgers! You’ll nee wild salmon fillets, olive oil, shallots, kale, salt, cooked quinoa, Dijon mustard, Old Bay seasoning, and egg. All you have to do is place the fillets in a food processor to chop it into smaller pieces. Saute the shallots and kale with come oil in a pan and then transfer all ingredients to a bowl and combine. Pat out the patties and then fry in a pan with olive oil. Top with arugula and more Dijon on a whole wheat bun and enjoy!

2. Maple glazed wild salmon

Thinking of how to cook wild salmon for tonight? Try to glaze it with a marinade made of: maple syrup, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper. Simple mix all the ingredients together and coat the salmon fillets with the marinade. Put the fillets in a baking pan sprayed with cooking spray and then place in the oven for 20 minutes of so on 400 degrees.

3. Oven baked salmon with Parmesan herb crust

Need more ideas for how to cook wild salmon? There are so many delicious wild salmon recipes out there! The next one on our list is oven baked salmon with Parmesan herb crust. This tasty meal is made with plain breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, garlic, herbs, melted butter, and salt and pepper. Simply mix all ingredients together in a bowl and sprinkle the mixture over the salmon fillets. Bake in the oven on 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the salmon is fully cooked.

4. Creamy garlic salmon pasta

Did you know you could buy wild-caught Alaskan salmon online? It’s true! Once you get your hands on some wild salmon, you should make this comforting pasta dish. This dish is made with fettuccine, fresh salmon, onion powder, olive oil, butter, white wine, and lemon. You’ll also need whipping cream, garlic, Parmesan, flour, and fresh parsley. These flavors come together beautifully, and the salmon is the perfect addition!

5. Easy teriyaki salmon

This is a wonderful and tasty way to cook wild salmon during a weeknight. All you have to do is marinade the salmon for at least 30 minutes, and you’re ready to cook! All you need for the marinade is garlic, ginger, soy sauce, water, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, and sesame oil! Place the salmon in a plastic Ziploc bag and pour marinade over. Place the marinated salmon fillets into a large skillet and cook until it’s cooked the way you like.

As you can see, there are a lot of ways you to answer your question about how to cook wild salmon in to a delicious dish! Wild salmon is a protein that can be made into mouthwatering foods like rich and creamy pasta dishes, or can be made into healthy meals like salmon quinoa burgers or baked salmon fillets with sauces and marinades. There are virtually endless possibilities when it comes to wild salmon recipes!

What is your favorite way to prepare wild salmon? Let us know in the comments below!

Food Inspection Systems

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Industrial checkweighers

Each year roughly one out of six Americans (or 48 million people) gets sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die from food borne diseases. Safety is a major concern for packaged foods. Food Inspection systems are in place to ensure there are no hazards in the products. Packaging materials offer industry leading quality at a substantial cost savings. For example, x ray Inspection is used to find small poultry bones that may choke someone.

Wary shoppers or 52% of people around the world make purchase decisions partially due to packaging that shows a brand making a positive social and environmental impact. Vacuum sealers preserve food three to five times longer than food stored in plastic bags or containers. Food inspection systems also include cold temperatures to keep harmful bacteria from growing and multiplying. The require that refrigerators should be set no higher than 40F and freezers set at 0F.

Food Inspection systems have been developed to ensure the safety of the customer. In a typical metal detector application with a wet or conductive product where 2.5 to 3.5 mm stainless steel can be detected, x-ray frequently can detect 1.5 mm or less thus improving food safety and brand protection.There are three main groups of metallic contaminants that a food metal detector can sense: ferrous, non ferrous, and stainless steel detection.

Packaging experts estimate that each pound of plastic packaging can reduce food waste by up to 1.7 pounds. Just two pounds of plastic can deliver 1,300 ounces?roughly 10 gallons?of a beverage such as juice, soda or water. You’d need three pounds of aluminum to bring home the same amount of product, eight pounds of steel or over 40 pounds of glass. Since 1977, the two liter plastic soft drink bottle has gone from weighing 68 grams to just 47 grams today, representing a 31% reduction per bottle. That has saved more than 180 million pounds of packaging in 2006 for just two liter soft drink bottles.

Roughly 60% of the U.S. population or about 148 million people have access to a plastics recycling program. This potentially makes materials for packaging less expensive and more economical for the public. Savvy shoppers will look for recycling signs on packaging. Modern food inspector tools makes the world a safer place for those who buy packaged food. Food sealing machines have become very important to consumers. They also feel safer knowing that their food has passed a food x-ray machine before hitting the shelf.

5 Amazing Health Benefits of Peanut Oil Consumption

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Peanut flour uses

Many people throughout the United States love consuming peanuts. In fact, statistics show that peanut butter and peanuts make up for 67% of all nut consumption in the United States. Regular peanut consumption has been shown to have many benefits. That being said, you might be unaware of the many benefits of peanut oil consumption. With that in mind, here are five amazing health benefits of peanut oil.

  1. Great for Your Heart

    There are good and bad types of cholesterol that can be consumed. In order to live a healthy lifestyle, it’s recommended that you consume good types of cholesterol. Both refined and unrefined peanut oil contains good cholesterol that actually works to lower bad cholesterol levels within the body.

  2. Keeps Immune System Strong

    One major aspect of staying healthy is avoiding becoming sick. No one enjoys the feeling of being achy and tired while under the weather. Considering that, it’s wise to consume refined peanut oil to help boost your immune system. Your immune system is largely responsible for helping you to feel well and fight off sickness. If you don’t have a great immune system, it stands to reason that you’re more likely to get sick. One of the major benefits of peanut oil is that it contains resveratrol. Getting enough resveratrol helps to ensure your immune system remains strong and that you stay healthy.

  3. Promotes Healthy Skin

    People often spend large sums of money in order to have healthier and younger looking skin. With that in mind, one key to having healthy skin is simply to consume pure peanut oil. Peanut oil contains vitamin E, known to help improve the appearance of your skin. If your tired of spending time and money on costly skin creams, consider increasing the amount of peanut oil in your diet.

  4. Lowers Risk of Certain Cancers

    There are many benefits of eating peanuts. In fact, statistics gathered from Harvard University found that consuming two servings of nuts per day helps fight against the presence of cancer. However, you don’t have to only consume peanuts to fight against free radicals. For instance, consuming refined peanut oil still gives your body the resveratrol it needs to kick out free radicals from the body. Reducing the presence of free radicals has been shown to lower risks of developing cancer.

  5. Boosts Brain Power

    As many people get older, it’s common for their brains to function in a slower manner. With that in mind, it’s wise to consume nuts if you’re looking to slow or stop the aging process of your brain. In fact, one eight week study of 64 adults found that walnut consumption vastly improved overall brain comprehension. You don’t to reach specifically for walnuts in order to help keep your brain healthy and strong. Peanut oil contains antioxidants that fight against neural pathways becoming degraded.

To summarize, there are several important benefits of consuming peanut oil. These oils work well at increasing good cholesterol levels while lowering bad cholesterol. Peanut oil consumption helps to increase the strength of your immune system which is great for fighting off illnesses. You’ll also find that both unrefined and refined peanut oil both contain vitamin E which is known to keep your skin in great health. Peanut oil lowers the risk of developing cancer and certain cognitive diseases by fighting the presence of free radicals within the body.

Five Reasons to Offer Free Coffee to your Employees

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Business coffee solution

Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the United States. Many people rely on the benefits of coffee to get through the long work day. An office that provides free coffee to its employees is likely to benefit from many of these same advantages. Offering free business coffee can improve efficiency and employee satisfaction in the following ways.

Greater job satisfaction
Many studies have shown that by giving employees additional amenities and benefits, they are more likely to be satisfied with their current employment. When employees are more satisfied, they are more likely to stick with the company for a longer period of time. This can cut down on high retention rates, which can be costly to a business. Employees are also less likely to spend work time seeking other employment.

The health benefits of coffee
There are also health benefits of coffee. When your employees experience improved health from coffee consumption, the business also benefits. Fewer health resources are used and employees take fewer days off. Some studies even show that coffee can reduce mental health problems. A specific study by the Harvard School of Public Health found that women who drink four or more cups of coffee per day were 20% less likely to suffer from depression. Health problems, mental or otherwise, can drain business resources.

Increase efficiency and cognitive abilities
According to the FDA, the caffeine in coffee is absorbed and circulated within 30 minutes to an hour and its effect can last up to six hours. Coffee enhances the energy levels of your brain, improving concentration and memory retention, thus leading to better cognitive performance. This improved cognitive performance can translate into more efficient and focused work tasks. Scheduling an office coffee vendor to supply both commercial office coffee machines and free coffee can lead to more efficient time spent working.

Breaks are good for work productivity
While some places of employment attempt to cut down on employee breaks, they can actually be good for work productivity. A time tracking app, called Desktime, found that the most productive employees work for 52 minutes and then take a break for 17 minutes. Those hourly trips to the water cooler or office coffee vendor machine might actually help your employees do their job better. It can also lead to increased job satisfaction, as employee relationships are often strengthened during these important breaks.

The cost of a coffee delivery service
Some employers might still be hesitant to provide free coffee to employees with a local office coffee vendor. However, when you factor in all of the advantages, it makes sense to supply coffee. If you have ever attempted to complete an in depth work task while tired, you can understand the lack of motivation and attention that could be going into your companies work tasks. Coffee, acting as a stimulant, improves the level of work your employees do. An increased level of work means greater business success and an increase in business profits. The cost of your office coffee vendor is minimal when you consider the improved work efficiency of your employees.

The majority of workers have consumed at least one cup of coffee per work day. Coffee consumption improves physical health, mental health, and work productivity levels. It can be extremely advantageous to provide a free coffee service to your employees. The work productivity and return that you will experience are well worth the cost of the delivery vendor service.

Baking, Mixing, and Everything In Between

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Commercial deli meat slicer

In the United States, people absolutely love food. Now, this may seem funny to the average person reading this but it is definitely true. Not only do people love to cook and bake food, they especially love to go out and eat in restaurants and now a sub-culture has emerged in terms of people blogging and writing about restaurants.

The restaurant industry manages to annually generate just about $783 billion in terms of revenue. This is because, as previously mentioned, the industry and sub-culture of people traveling to visit high-end restaurants is truly a real thing in the modern day world. As a matter of fact, just about 34% of all Americans will visit casual dining restaurants every single week.

People now bake and cook more than ever before and there has emerged a new industry of Youtube channels that are based on do-it-yourself type cooking projects. Thanks to this, people are buying more and more cooking tools as the years go on. Here are all of the facts that surround the commercial bakery mixer, and why it is so important to people who love baking.

There are some tools that people do not use in their kitchen very often, like a professional meat grinder or a professional meat tenderizer. Some people will definitely use these machines because they are expert cooks or are really into cooking. Yet, these are not items you will find in the average household.

As a result, very little people know that you should keep everything cold in order to properly maintain a meat grinder. Experts in the field recommend that you put your meat grinder and all parts, except the motor, in the freezer for at least one hour before you proceed with using the meat grinder. However, the commercial bakery mixer is something that people can find all throughout the average home in the United States.

A commercial bakery mixer is a great tool that many Americans use to deal with baking material and dough. Most people will also own a spiral dough mixer to help them deal with the dough as opposed to having to deal with dough by hand. This is because it will take almost a half-hour for people to knead the dough by hand but if they use a commercial bakery mixer, it will take way less time and way less effort.

This is important because a commercial bakery mixer can help people make so many different types of food that use the dough. For instance, just about 41% of all consumers will eat pizza once a week according to Technomic’s 2016 Pizza Consumer Trend Report and this is something that the commercial bakery mixer can help people make. As a matter of fact, a recent Harris Poll has revealed that pizza is the number one comfort food for many Americans.

The commercial bakery market in the United States has been steadily growing over the past couple of years. In the year of 2008 this industry was valued at $26 billion and then by 2014, this industry managed to reach a value of $30 billion. Using a commercial dough mixer, a dough mixer machine, or a dough roller machine are all great ways that make dealing with dough much easier for the average person.

In Conclusion

Using a commercial bakery mixer is a great way for the average person to cut the time that they spend kneading dough nearly in half. These types of tools and machines are made specifically to make this process easier for people so that way they do not have to spend a ridiculous amount of time dealing with dough. Furthermore, it really does help the industry of commercial restaurants. This way, they can focus on speeding up their output by not having to spend 30 minutes kneading dough for every order that uses it.

A More Affordable Wedding Drink Budget

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If you have ever planned or been involved in planning a wedding, you are probably aware of how expensive they are. Not only are you spending a lot on the perfect wedding dress and accessories, but you are also paying for every guest you invite to eat dinner and celebrate with alcoholic beverages. The cost of alcoholic drinks is often one of the most expensive parts of any wedding. Fortunately, when you plan to bring your own alcohol, you can significantly cut these costs. Use these tips to create your own cost affordable wedding liquor list.

Get a final head count
When a venue charges you for food or alcohol, they request a final headcount. This gives them a closer idea of exactly how much they will spend on food and alcohol ingredients. When you are creating a wedding liquor list, you will also want to use this same calculation method. You can usually get a final head count a week or two before the actual wedding date. Make sure you set an RSVP deadline with enough time to prepare your wedding liquor list.

Create a shopping budget
Approximately 20 to 25% of the average catering bill will be dedicated to alcohol if you opt for an open bar reception. The goal is to save money, so you will want to figure out this number and then create a budget that is cheaper. This will give you a better idea as to how much alcohol and the brand of alcohol that you can purchase. Liquor for weddings can be made cheaper by avoiding top shelf beverages. You could also purchase a couple of bottles of the top shelf and only serve this to the bridal party and family of the bride and groom. The guests will never know the difference as everything will be poured into clear cups.

Purchase local beer and alcohol
When guests are provided with an open bar, they tend to be less picky about their drink choices. You can sometimes reduce the cost of your wedding liquor list by using local vendors. Craft beer is currently trending anyway, so giving your guests the option of trying a new beer or liquor is a great way to cut costs. Currently, small and independent breweries account for 99% of the breweries in operation. It is broken down as follows, 2,397 microbreweries, 1,650 brewpubs, and 178 regional craft breweries. Work with a couple of smaller breweries in your area to get a discount. Many will be willing to give you a discount to get their beer brands in front of new customers.

Create a signature drink
Many couples are creating signature drinks to celebrate their special day. This signature drink is usually a favorite of the couple or a combination of each spouse?s favorite alcoholic beverage. Many guests will want to try this signature beverage and you can easily cut alcohol costs this way. You have more control over the type of alcohol and mixer being consumed. Choose an affordable mix or lower cost alcohol brand. The more guests that order this signature drink, the less that they are ordering more expensive of alcoholic drinks.

Serve wine
Wine is also an affordable drink choice. If you have a caterer automatically walking around and serving your choice of wine or set up a self serve wine bar, guests are less likely to order other types of drinks. Wine is a popular drink choice and will be appreciated by your guests. According to the Wine Institute, in 1993, Americans only drank about 1.74 gallons of wine per capita. In 2013, that amount had risen to 2.82 gallons. This now makes the U.S. the largest wine consuming nation in the world, with over 329 million cases of wine sold in just 2013.

One of the biggest costs of wedding planning is serving alcoholic drinks. Yet, many couples want to serve alcohol to celebrate their big day. You can reduce the high cost of alcohol by buying your own alcoholic beverages, creating a signature drink, and purchasing from local breweries. You can also encourage a specific drink, something that is more affordable like different types of wines.