MARCH 2026: Bees, Easter Bread, Freezer Items, and More

How are the bees?

A Spring Update

Spring is on its way, and on Monday, we were able to do the first in-depth inspection of the hives for the year. Assessing whether each hive has ample food stores and whether the queen is laying helps us to set the plan for the next two months. Some hives come out of winter slowly, others have a population boom and will swarm early. A quick look at the inner frames within the hive lets us know how the queen is laying.

One hive is not so lucky, and unfortunately, their queen recently passed. There are indicators that let us know that this has happened within the last 18-35 days, and this hive will not survive without her. It's too early to purchase and have a mated queen shipped to us, and it's far too early to assist them (with the help of a frame of eggs from another hive) in making their own. This is the not-so-pretty side of nature.

For the rest of the hives, queens are laying strong, and two hives in particular will definitely be split into two more hives as soon as they show us that they're ready for that to happen. Others will be a couple of weeks behind. Drones (boy bees) are not yet present in colonies--they are kicked out before winter and once resources are abundant the hive will begin allowing the queen to produce them again. Once we begin to see drones, that is our sign that it's almost time!

For the first year since we began beekeeping in 2019, our overwintering success rate is actually something that I can say that I'm pleased with. There is nothing easy about keeping bees healthy and alive, and gone are the days of just letting a colony do its own thing. Varroa mites are the deer tick of the bee world, and since their unwanted entry into the US in the 80's, beekeepers all over the US have been trying to keep them in check and control their spread of viruses. Like Lyme's in humans, the diseases that they carry have neurological and life-shortening effects on the honeybee. We will continue to manage our bees with organic methods for the control of varroa and do our part to protect a species that farmers rely on worldwide.

Italian Easter Bread and Cakes

Order Before March 31st!

CLICK HERE for the Calendar to Place Your Order

Italian Easter Bread is a special treat with roots buried in early Roman Christianity. Made with rich ingredients like sugar and eggs which were often forbidden during Lent, they added decorative finishes like the braiding to represent the Trinity and eggs to represent new life and rebirth (the Resurrection). Some contain anise, others lemon, ours, vanilla. This sweet bread is something that my entire family looked forward to all year, and we are happy to share this tradition with you! The order forms for Easter Bread are on the Calendar page of our website, and you can use the link above to get there. Just choose your pickup date (Good Friday or Easter Saturday) and click that date for pricing information and the order form link. There is a separate form for each day, and if orders become overwhelming on one day, ordering for that day will be closed!

In addition to Easter Bread, we are offering two different CAKES this year. First, a traditional Easter COCONUT CAKE (yes, we had this, too!) consisting of yellow cake with a hint of coconut flavor, iced with a cream cheese frosting and coconut, and topped with more coconut (colored to make a nest) and jelly bean "eggs". Lastly, we will be offering CARROT CAKE with cream cheese frosting and caramel drizzle. Both cakes are available in two sizes on the order form and are triple layer cakes. In the event that you need a LARGER cake to feed more than 20 people, reach out for pricing information.

Take and Bake/Frozen Items

What's in the Store This Month: Homemade Meatballs and More!

The freezer items are forever changing, and many items are available by pre-order on the Calendar page of this website. Currently in stock are Chicken Noodle Soup, Meat and Cheese Ravioli, and Elderberry Syrup along with all of our local meat selections from Bundy's and Big Maple Family Farm. I am hoping to get Meatballs batched in the next few days.

On the order form for this month to assist you in quick meals, we will have Ravioli on several days on the form as well as quarts of Sausage Gravy and unbaked homemade Buttery Biscuits. Meatballs are on the form before Easter as well for pre-order.

IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT FROZEN PRE-ORDER ITEMS LIKE RAVIOLI, MEATBALLS, ETC: If there are items like this on a weekday, and you plan on ordering Baked Goods that weekend, please use the "optional comments" line on the order form and save yourself a trip. We will gladly label your items and freeze them so that you can make just one trip for both your freezer items and baked goods!

Tuesday and Friday Meals-to-Go

Washing Dishes Stinks, Let Us Make the Mess So You Don't Have To!

From Stuffed Shells to Stuffed Flounder, from Gnocchi to Pierogi, we have you covered for both Friday and Tuesday meals. Whether you're a busy person or just hate cooking (or both), we make the mess so that YOU don't have to. Meals will continue into Early Summer at least!

• Thu Mar 19: Ravioli, 24 per pack, Standard Size Ravioli: Beef and Cheese, $14.00. Cheese, $12.00. Spinach and Cheese, $11.00.
• Fri Mar 20:  Spinach & Ricotta Stuffed Shells, Salad or Applesauce, $14.00. Crab Stuffed Flounder with Baked Potato, Salad or Applesauce, $16.00. Bread.
• Sat Mar 21:  Cream Puffs, 6 pack, $12.00. Chocolate Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting 4 pack, $10.00. Chocolate Cake with Strawberries and Whipped Cream, 6-inch, triple-layer, $25.00. Raisin Filled Cookies, 4 pack, $10.00, dozen, $28.00.
• Tue Mar 24:  Braciole (Italian Stuffed Steak Pinwheels) with Rigatoni, Salad or Applesauce, $15.00. Grilled Chicken Salad, $12.50. Bread.
• Thu Mar 26:  Oven Ready Sausage Gravy and Biscuits, 1 quart of Sausage Gravy plus 8 homemade biscuits, $13.00.
• Fri Mar 27:  Gnocchi w/Marinara, $12.50. Cheese Pierogies w/ Onions and Cabbage, $12.50. Fruit Salad or Side Salad. Bread.
• Sat Mar 28:  Turtle Cheesecake, 6-inch, $35.00. Danishes, 4/$8.00 or 12/$18.00, 8-inch Cheesecake with Strawberry or WildBerry Syrup, $28.00.
• Tue Mar 31:  Meatball Hoagie, $12.50. Cheesesteak (add peppers, onions, mushrooms), $14.00. Served with Sweet Potato Fries, French Fries, or Pasta Salad.
• Wed Apr 1:  Ravioli, 24 per pack, Standard Size Ravioli: Beef and Cheese, $14.00. Cheese, $12.00. Spinach and Cheese, $11.00.  Meatballs, 15/$9.00.
• Thu Apr 2: Ravioli, 24 per pack, Standard Size Ravioli: Beef and Cheese, $14.00. Cheese, $12.00. Spinach and Cheese, $11.00.  Meatballs, 15/$9.00.
• Fri Apr 3: Italian Easter Bread with Nonpareils or Jelly Beans, $8.00, Egg, $0.50. Coconut Easter Cake, 6-inch, $30.00, 9-inch, $45.00. Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and Caramel Drizzle, 6 inch, $30.00, 9 inch, $45.00. (cakes are triple layer). ORDERS DUE BY MARCH 31!
• Sat Apr 4:  Italian Easter Bread with Nonpareils or Jelly Beans, $8.00, Egg, $0.50. Coconut Easter Cake, 6-inch, $30.00, 9-inch, $45.00. Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and Caramel Drizzle, 6 inch, $30.00, 9 inch, $45.00. (cakes are triple layer). ORDERS DUE BY MARCH 31!

THAT'S ALL FOR THIS UPDATE! If you made it this far, give yourself a pat on the back and REFER A FRIEND TO OUR NEWSLETTER! If there's something that you want to see on our menu, someone else is probably thinking of it, too. Send us an email to bvhoneyco@gmail.com with your menu ideas, or send us a Facebook message. I love help in coming up with things to make and bake!

--Lisa