Crystalized honey frames

[Beagle23]

I took 8 frames of crystalized honey from the hive last year, all from a lower super that had been filled relatively early (so maybe rapeseed). I was planning on feeding this back the hive this winter but as I mentioned in another thread my bees have plenty of stores in the hive.
So my question is, what to do with it? I guess it will last, so I could just put it in storage until needed. Is there any point feeding it to them once the foraging season is underway?

 

[enrico]

You can lay one frame at a time above a crown/ feeder board. They will remove the honey. For some reason it doesn't set as hard on the second digestion.. it may cause robbing though so keep an eye on what is going on. If it is too set then a light spray with water helps.
E

 

[Beagle23]

You can lay one frame at a time above a crown/ feeder board. They will remove the honey. For some reason it doesn't set as hard on the second digestion.. it may cause robbing though so keep an eye on what is going on. If it is too set then a light spray with water helps.
E

Thanks, I'll give that a try

 

[Heather]

Or if you collect a swarm, pop on top of the brood box, QE between. Save you feeding them, and will encourage them to stay.

 

[drex]

I have quite a few crystallised super frames this year (SN1). This spring I intend to put Hoffman converter clips on them and introduce one into each brood box, so that they draw drone comb underneath, which can be sacrificed as part of varroa IPM. Two problems solved in one go.

 

[Beefriendly]

Economics would suggest you would be financially better off re-melting the honey out of the frames. It is possible to re-liquify without the wax sagging and collapsing...quite tricky but doable. But even if the wax collapses out of the frames, as long as you can press or drain the honey off you then have a product you can sell and will be quids in. Each super frame will hold approx 2 x 12oz jars at say £5 per jar.
Feed them sugar solution if they need it, far cheaper....and treat yourself to something nice, like a new hive with the proceeds!

 

[Beagle23]

We took in the crystalized stuff when harvesting the rest of the supers back in October. I figured that we'd had more than our fair share from the bees, besides the whole prospect of melting the honey from the fames looked extraordinarily messy.

As an aside, we gave our honey away as Xmas presents last year, keeping a a dozen jars for ourselves. You wouldn't believe the number of people who told me that it 'didn't smell like honey...and had we added something?' The corruption of the Supermarket stuff is near complete it seems.

 

[For want of a better word]

Or if you collect a swarm, pop on top of the brood box, QE between. Save you feeding them, and will encourage them to stay.

Or leave out the qx and go to brood and one half ???..... Rape honey is not pleasant in any way ( IMOHO).... feed it back to the bees if you do not have enough to make it worth extracting and have something you can blend it with to conceal the back of the throat taste of used diesel oil or Mazola.... however to be politically correct some on here actually like it!

Yeghes da

 

[drex]

Every year my bees will have loads of OSR within easy reach. As soft set it flies off the shelves. A lot of customers are disappointed when I start selling the Autumn crop

 

[enrico]

I take it that was a good smell! Fermenting honey is disgusting!
E

 

[Millet]

Economics would suggest you would be financially better off re-melting the honey out of the frames. It is possible to re-liquify without the wax sagging and collapsing...quite tricky but doable. But even if the wax collapses out of the frames, as long as you can press or drain the honey off you then have a product you can sell and will be quids in. Each super frame will hold approx 2 x 12oz jars at say £5 per jar.
Feed them sugar solution if they need it, far cheaper....and treat yourself to something nice, like a new hive with the proceeds!

I can make money much easier than messing on with crystallized frames, to me it is too time consuming and the bees tend to take a era to clear the frames, it is easier and quicker just to bin the product and fire fresh wax foundation in for another try this season when the time is right.

 

[Beagle23]

I take it that was a good smell! Fermenting honey is disgusting!
E

Yep, all good and fresh. But people see the supermarket brands as the norm these days so if it looks, smells or tastes different people can tend to think there's something wrong with it. The doubt only lasts for a spoonful or two

 

[enrico]

I can make money much easier than messing on with crystallized frames, to me it is too time consuming and the bees tend to take a era to clear the frames, it is easier and quicker just to bin the product and fire fresh wax foundation in for another try this season when the time is right.

Never bin good honey, if the worst comes to the worst, take it all out of the frames, melt the wax off and use the money for cooking loads of honey cakes and buisuits
E

 

[Swarm]

Try a warm bath and wash it out?

 

[enrico]

Try a warm bath and wash it out?

Then bathe in the water. Will do wonders for the skin!!!!!!
E