I finally got started on the Fall honey harvest today. I got all the surplus supers pulled off the seven hives at the pasture apiary and installed the Winter covers for those hives that didn't already have top entrances. Tomorrow I will go over and pull the supers at the orchard hives and more than likely leave the honey on the garden apiary. Truth is I pulled so much surplus honey off the pasture hives this year I really don't need anymore.
Seven medium supers which equaled out to 61 frames and only four frames were not full with capped honey. A good estimation is about 35 pounds of so per medium super of honey so somewhere around 230 or so pounds of honey. I only put nine frames in my ten frame supers because it makes them much easier to cut the cappings off.
I am not even sure I have enough five gallon buckets to hold it all right now. I also left each hive with a full medium of honey on top of the two full brood chambers. In a mild Winter they won't need all that but in a bad Winter they might. I try and not be greedy with my girls and let them keep as much honey as I can. With this harvest I really don't need to take any more than I did and if they don't use what I left on them over the Winter I can always pull it come Spring.
The wind was blowing a bit stronger than I would have liked and that caused most of the smoke to drift away rather than calming the bees down. By the time I was finished I was covered in angry bees. Only got one sting through my pants leg though.
I also removed as much burr comb as I could before closing the hives back up and left a 15 gallon rubbermaid tub filled with comb dripping honey for the bees to rob down there. I will go and recover the left overs in the morning.
By the time I left there were angry bees flying everywhere. I won't be going close to the back of the property without a veil and jacket for a week or more.
Another four hives to harvest tomorrow and then come the first really cold day I will wrap the hives for Winter.
I also plan on moving most of the hives out of the Garden Apiary this Winter. I find it's much easier (and safer) to move them when the girls are all balled up.
This has been a honey crop year like no other. All that rain in May, June and July really paid off.
Keep Prepping Everyone!!!!!!!!!
How wonderful to have such a wonderful honey crop!!! And still leave the girls with plenty as well!!! mmmm yummmmmy
ReplyDeleteTexan - Ya I didn't even bother to take any from the garden hives this year. Will be interesting to see if they fare better in the cold because of it.
DeleteThat's great! We're hoping to get started in beekeeping soon. You've inspired me!
ReplyDeleteHG - It's a lot of fun. It doesn't start gettign to be work until you get up above five or six hives really and for most three hives is enough to give them all the honey they could ever want.
DeleteThat is a lot of honey, what an amazing harvest for you to enjoy. As winter heads in we start using a lot more honey but I doubt we could manage a 5 gallon bucket in an entire year.
ReplyDeleteMax - I am guessing I will get about three buckets full usually one medium super full gives me about 2 gallons and I only put about 4 gallons in a bucket. Usually one bucket is enough for most of my pulls.
DeletePP,
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy to hear this year was a great honey harvest for you.
If you're willing, I would love to buy some honey off of you.
Sandy - I will send ya a jar. I only have the 12 oz. ones in plastic though but I will mail one to you!!!!
DeletePP,
DeleteThank you, let me know what you need.
That is a lot of honey. You could make a lot of hot honey, lemon and rum drinks with 230lbs of honey.
ReplyDeleteExile1981
Exile - Heh. Maybe it will help with the Winter sore throats :)
DeleteAnd now the work starts! That's a lot of frames to crank by hand.
ReplyDeleteMV - The cranking is the easy part. I hate removing the caps :(
Deletewhat a great harvest, well done bees :-)
ReplyDeleteThat's great it did well. I admire those who do the bees. It always seems kind of complex to me.
ReplyDelete