Every year I sell my excess honey (and boy is there a lot) from my “hobby” hives. The neighbors are super supportive and always eager for the harvest. One challenge I do have, is that I work full time and coordinating being home when it is convenient for them to swing by is challenging. So I have a plan…
I have a military surplus ammo box. It is steel, sturdy, and, it’ll hold about 8-10, 1lb honey bottles nicely. That should be plenty to cover most days of pickups.
But a metal box sitting on the front steps is just tempting fate, isn’t it? Well, sure I’d probably best take a least a little precaution. Fortunately, with a bit of extra hardware it can accept a padlock.
I have a re-settable combination lock, so I can email out the daily combination to folks that want to swing by, and they can pick up their honey at their conveyance. Add a small notebook, and they can sign off or leave a note. Add a bicycle cable lock through the handle loop and I can attach it to handrail on my front porch. Sure, if someone really wants that box, they will get it. But hopefully that will deter casual mischief.
However, an Army green metal box is kind of ugly, not to mention conspicuous (“Oh look, a box full of ammo!”). You know what, it kind of looks like a little commercial bee hive, doesn’t it? Let’s paint it (cue the Laurie)! Fortunately, Ketrina Yim was kind enough to teach the internet how to draw adorable bees!
Pip’s paint job is complete and I’m delighted with the results, particularly how there is a secret bee hiding under the latch! <3
