To Make Beeswax Candles You First Need to Clean

On Saturday, Oct. 20, the Cavendish Historical Society’s (CHS) Hands on History Workshop will feature beeswax candle making. As you dip your wick into the golden colored wax, you may want to think about the steps it takes to extract the wax from the honeycomb.

For the last several years, when harvesting honey, Bruce McEnaney set aside the “cappings” from the honeycomb for candle making. This week, volunteers from CHS have been preparing the wax for dipping.

The first step was to put the cappings into a pot of water and heat. After it melts, any remaining honey and dirt (including dead bees) separates from the wax. The wax, while now out of the capping, can still be dirty, so it needs to re melted and then poured through cheese cloth to remove any remaining dirt. 

The free workshop, which also includes stenciling, quilt making and cider pressing, takes place from 9:30-11:30 at the Cavendish Town Elementary School in Proctorsville. The workshop has been made possible in part thanks to a grant from the Cavendish Community Fund, a project of the Cavendish Community and Conservation Association (CCCA).