Black Boxes

Does anyone have any idea what these black boxes are which I spied in a field in Sudbury ? I do because my dad had anywhere between 5-40 in our backyard ever since I was born. The black wrapping is to protect what's inside from the cold winter elements. In the summer, these boxes may be white or brightly colored, two to three times as high and abuzz with activity.


Okay, here is a clue from my dad's last crop which he harvested when he was 86, two years ago. If you look closely at the labels, you may be able to notice that they are both in English and French, the law in Canada.

I recently watched the movie "Secret Life of Bees" and I was pleasantly surprised to see their accurate portrayal of harvesting and bottling up honey, just as I remember.