2nd honey extraction

[stovie]

Spent yesterday with Wellsy extracting honey. Considering the poor weather this summer we did quite well. 390 lbs from 9 hives. This is a previous post of us extracting http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13595 and below are a few pics from yesterday.

Roll on Summer...

 

[jon r]

Well done! 390lb is pretty dam good!

my dad keeps bees too, i dont think people realise the time and effort that goes into this beekeeping! I get involved with the extraction of the honey and it can be quite time consuming. We havnt got a motorised extractor so its good exercise!

What kind of extractor did you use to extract that lot? If it was manual i bet you were there for a while.

The rewards of beekeeping are very good though! honey for breakfast every morning and im sure it helps keep you well and fights the winter colds!

Jon

 

[British Red]

Now theres something I must learn! I make mead in 10 gallon batches with friends surplus honey but it would be great to make my own!

Great thread Stovie!

Red

 

[commandocal]

Hmm that looks great! , How aggresive (if that) are they ? Im just curious and now need to get some honey tomorrow!

 

[oilyrag]

Great thread Stovie, I have an interest in Bee keeping stemming from when I was 9, my school teacher had a display hive (half glass) and we could see the Bees at work all day long. They took us to Sparsholt Agricultural College to see the hives and honey production and many types of honey. When I call it a day on my desk jockey job, I fully intend on keeping a few herds of bees.

 

[wanderinstar]

Red, The bees make the honey, not you.
oilyrag, The bees are kept in colonies, not herds

 

[locum76]

jon r - regards easy extraction - we use a thing called an 'easy bee'. Instead of decapping each frame and then spinning the honey out in your centrifuge you just cut out all the wax and honey from each frame.

the honeycomb is then piled into the easybee which warms it gently via a big bain marie. when its soft enough, both honey and wax run out the bottom end where they are separated in a pot with a baffle. Basically the wax floats to the top and the honey pours out the bottom. you need to use wireless foundation to make it easier to cut the honeycomb out.

as well as the benefit of less work, it also helps if your honey has crystalized in the frames.

im not sure they are still being made though.

 

[jon r]

I supose you could sell all that wax back to the company that makes the frame foundation.

 

[British Red]

Or just sell it on here to leather workers etc.

Beeswax candles are a real joy too

Oh Ian, thanks for the info. And you are wrong on the other point - I have herd of bees

Actually I thought the collective noun was swarm or is that a particular lifecyle stage for the colony?? Dunno I like the idea of being a beeherd though - with a really small dog!

Red

 

[stovie]

jon r - regards easy extraction - we use a thing called an 'easy bee'. Instead of decapping each frame and then spinning the honey out in your centrifuge you just cut out all the wax and honey from each frame.

The only drawback with this process is that you make extra work for the colony and therefore cut down on honey production. By returning the comb intact they only need to concentrate on honey production, and therefore you increase your yield in a given period.

 

[stovie]

Well done! 390lb is pretty dam good!

What kind of extractor did you use to extract that lot? If it was manual i bet you were there for a while.

Jon

We use a mechanical extractor...but it still takes a day to clear the lot...i'd hate to do it by hand.

 

[sallyinwales]

I'm very envious, my two hives have produced almost nothing this year. Still, in themselves they are healthy enough, but I think I'm leaving what they have made to see them through the winter and hopefully give them a headstart next year. We're out of mead now too and I'm almost out of beeswax, don't realise how much wax you need til the box is empty, and I'm loathe to buy wax in from an unknown source. grrr

 

[locum76]

stovie - i know what you mean but we're REALLY busy at the moment. and we replace the foundation in each new frame. foundation is cheap if you swap it for old wax.