The Maasai Honey blog is a collection of stories, videos, articles, and even recipes, related to beekeeping in Tanzania. Learn about life in a Maasai Village, the environment of our apiaries, plus creative ideas for how to use honey! Sign up for our quarterly newsletter, which contains links to recent posts.
We are excited to announce the completion of our top-bar training cage! This structure has been sponsored by the Greenwich World Hunger Association, as part of our educational initiatives in top-bar beekeeping. The bee cage holds 3 top-bar hives, which will be utilized for hand-on trainings with village residents of Ololosokwan. Each hive sits on a hanging hive stand, so that the hives can be easily opened during demonstrations and trainings.
Read MoreThis video will transport you to Ololosokwan Village in Northern Tanzania, where Maasai Honey trains and empowers Maasai women as beekeepers! Situated on the edge of the Serengeti National Park, apiaries are surrounded by savannah forests, acacia trees, and a diverse array of wildlife. Learn about our honey production process, from start to finish and meet the women of Maasai Honey. The end result is not only delicious, it also supports a good cause!
Read MoreIt’s right after the rainy season, when the flowers of many trees and shrubs are in bloom. Each year is different; if the rains have been plentiful there’s an abundance of flowering plants, but if the season has been sparse this may mean less flowers. It’s at this time, a bit like Spring in the Serengeti, that bees are actively foraging - gathering nectar and pollen from the flowers.
Read MoreWhen working with local bees, one of the first steps is hanging the hives. After baiting the frames with beeswax (a scent attractive to the bees), the hives are hung in a natural forest environment. Ideally, the hive is hung on a sturdy tree branch, under a canopy that shields and protects the hive.
Read MoreIts a fancy name for a small tool that may leave one wondering - “what is a refractometer?”
A refractometer is an important tool for analyzing honey quality. Specifically, it measures moisture content, analyzing how much water the honey contains.
Read MoreNot all honey is the same. In fact, one of our honeys is usually referred to as “stingless” honey. It has a liquid consistency and a distinctive sweet and sour flavor. Where does it come from? It is made by stingless bees! These bees do not make wax honeycomb, but rather, they store their liquid honey in round, resinous pods. Harvesting is a tedious process, but the result is well worth it…
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