First honey harvest

[Nighthaunt]

Well having not got any excess and having to feed most of last year, this year the bees have been off to a flying start - the overwintered NUC managing to cap 6 super frames in March (down in Kent so many days in double digits with bees out collecting).

First time extracting - got loads still settling in the bucket - but wanted 2 jars for the neighbours.

about another 14 8oz jars to fill once settled - extracted from 5 super frames (left 1 for bees plus their stores in the 14 x 12 frames).

main hive is filling out a full super handily - going to put a second super on the main hive shortly. The NUC is going to it’s new home shortly (fellow beginner last year who lost their 2 hives over winter).

Thornes UniMel 3 frame electronic extractor - should cope handily with my two hives (have Welsh bees coming to fill other hive in May).

 

[Boston Bees]

Would you recommend this extractor? I assume it has variable speed controls? Easy to use? Thanks

 

[Nighthaunt]

Hi,

I don’t have a lot to compare to - it’s tangential which works better for Oil Seed Rape (OSR) - radial tends to be popular but for only a few hives would be massive over capacity.

I really like it - would say go electric, as that way can be spinning out one set of frames and uncapping another - works well, variable speed (don’t go above half way - otherwise frames can blow out) - east to clean and no sharp edges. I know some people complain about hands getting cut to ribbons cleaning their extractors so pleased this one is well made.

No problems with it, works well, and seems absolutely solid piece of kit, so would recommend from my beginners point of view.

 

[Boston Bees]

Hi,

I don’t have a lot to compare to - it’s tangential which works better for Oil Seed Rape (OSR) - radial tends to be popular but for only a few hives would be massive over capacity.

I really like it - would say go electric, as that way can be spinning out one set of frames and uncapping another - works well, variable speed (don’t go above half way - otherwise frames can blow out) - east to clean and no sharp edges. I know some people complain about hands getting cut to ribbons cleaning their extractors so pleased this one is well made.

No problems with it, works well, and seems absolutely solid piece of kit, so would recommend from my beginners point of view.

View attachment 31313

Many thanks! I need to upgrade, and use DN4 frames for everything, so radial extractors are no use to me as they almost all only take shallow frames.

 

[elainemary]

Many thanks! I need to upgrade, and use DN4 frames for everything, so radial extractors are no use to me as they almost all only take shallow frames.

The 8 (super) or 4 (any size) swing cage extractor from Abelo is worth considering. It’s bigger but you don’t need to take the cages out and swop them around, like normal tangential; the baskets can be swung round so extract one side then the other. Still fits through a typical kitchen door. I bought one for our association a few weeks ago before prices went up, but Abelo do deals from time to time.

https://www.abelo.co.uk/shop/extractors/electric-8-frame-cassette-honey-extractor-minima-line/

 

[enrico]

I take it you must be surrounded by osr to be harvesting already. Well done! Just so other beginners understand osr ( oil seed rape) is an early crop that needs to be extracted before it sets. It is not normal to be harvesting any other crop in the UK yet so please dont think you are doing something wrong!

 

[Boston Bees]

I take it you must be surrounded by osr to be harvesting already. Well done! Just so other beginners understand osr ( oil seed rape) is an early crop that needs to be extracted before it sets. It is not normal to be harvesting any other crop in the UK yet so please dont think you are doing something wrong!

Indeed

I'm not a beginner but I still suffered a bout of harvest-inadequacy-syndrome when reading the thread.

 

[Amari]

Extracting capped honey in mid April! I did extract at the end of April on one occasion a few years ago but usually it's mid-May. OSR of course.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Extracting capped honey in mid April! I did extract at the end of April on one occasion a few years ago but usually it's mid-May. OSR of course.

Very early I think, osr has only just come into flower here and bees have been working it for a few days inspecting on Wednesday.

 

[JamezF]

I spotted some OSR in flower about three quarters of a mile away last week, but there's still not a great deal of interest in flying right now. It's allegedly going to warm up later this week so perhaps there'll be a bit more activity then.

James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Many thanks! I need to upgrade, and use DN4 frames for everything, so radial extractors are no use to me as they almost all only take shallow frames.

most of the Lyson radials with Abelo take deeps

 

[Nighthaunt]

Suspect may have a fair bit of sugar syrup in there - however bees have been out on mass collecting as far back as the 16th February - these were from a NUC - 6 14 x 12 brood frames and 6 supers - consumed a grand total of 1kg of Fondant all winter, so figuring to still have 6 capped super frames and good arch of capped stores on brood they either refilled cells or been unbelievably frugal - kent so a lot of early OSR with very good winter. However do reckon a fair bit of syrup possibly - although no taste of thymol that went into syrup or apiguard used to treat last year - however very light colour so certainly got syrup in there.

 

[Nighthaunt]

This was the 16th February this year - many days like this
View attachment trim.244DB4BE-D230-4931-A2DF-09D156D29553.MOV

 

[Nighthaunt]

Interestingly refractometer arrived - tested and Brix 82% Water 18%.

Good chance to learn and practise prior to proper spring extract around May.
Alex

 

[user 819]

One would think it is far from being honey, one could give the Chinese a run for the money. I don't think one can take the risk of selling it.

 

[Nighthaunt]

One would think it is far from being honey, one could give the Chinese a run for the money. I don't think one can take the risk of selling it.

Heavens I wouldn’t sell it - never my intention, just nice after such a bad year last year to get a chance of extracting anything.

 

[drex]

Why would you want extract sugar syrup? Seriously.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Why would you want extract sugar syrup? Seriously.

Well at least it can be fed back to the bees and you have clean drawn super frames.

 

[W0otz]

Why would you want extract sugar syrup? Seriously.

New beek + new (first!) extractor + first capped super frames. I reckon I'd have done the same.

According to Google maps my bees are 1.48 miles from his and my hive has drawn and and filled (but not capped) 8 super frames (50/50 alternating foundation/foundationless), and part drawn 2 more in the past few weeks. Although there will have been syrup contamination in his, so it can't be sold, I reckon there's a decent proportion of honey in there too - fine for personal consumption and/or feeding back.

 

[Nighthaunt]

New beek + new (first!) extractor + first capped super frames. I reckon I'd have done the same.

According to Google maps my bees are 1.48 miles from his and my hive has drawn and and filled (but not capped) 8 super frames (50/50 alternating foundation/foundationless), and part drawn 2 more in the past few weeks. Although there will have been syrup contamination in his, so it can't be sold, I reckon there's a decent proportion of honey in there too - fine for personal consumption and/or feeding back.

glad it’s not just me - the main hive has started to cap supers which were empty at the end of Feb - seem to have had an early flow. Extracted as needed some built out frames - didn’t have space to store capped stores, tastes more like Honey than sugar syrup -my syrup fed contained thymol (Hive alive) no trace in what was extracted - and it’s good practise for first ever extraction job - discovered not to go above half speed or risk blow out