First years honey

[swifty]

This is my first year at beekeeping only got two hives in July this year and have a super on each with eight frames in each with honey. The problem is they are not all capped some are half capped so my question is how do you separate the capped from the uncapped honey as I belive the uncapped will not be suitable to jar up, is this correct.
Also looking to buy an extractor possibly a radial electric as I am thinking it may be false economy to buy a manual then when I've got more hives next year wish I had bought an electric extractor.

 

[Millet]

This is my first year at beekeeping only got two hives in July this year and have a super on each with eight frames in each with honey. The problem is they are not all capped some are half capped so my question is how do you separate the capped from the uncapped honey as I belive the uncapped will not be suitable to jar up, is this correct.
Also looking to buy an extractor possibly a radial electric as I am thinking it may be false economy to buy a manual then when I've got more hives next year wish I had bought an electric extractor.

Buy a Refractometer and check the uncapped honey.. i have extracted uncapped honey in the past that was reading 17% moisture.

I have a manual extractor that takes eight frames..this year i have been extracting around eleven frames per week since June.. i could not justify paying all them hundreds for an electric one.. i will be going into winter this year with eight hives so things might change..we will see.

 

[Amari]

This is my first year at beekeeping only got two hives in July this year and have a super on each with eight frames in each with honey. The problem is they are not all capped some are half capped so my question is how do you separate the capped from the uncapped honey as I belive the uncapped will not be suitable to jar up, is this correct.
Also looking to buy an extractor possibly a radial electric as I am thinking it may be false economy to buy a manual then when I've got more hives next year wish I had bought an electric extractor.

You may have heard of the 'shake test'. Lift a frame and give a hard downwards shake over the super. If honey droplets emerge then the honey is not ripe for extraction. Refractometers have become much cheaper of late and honey for extraction should have less than 20% water, otherwise it will ferment.
Honey extractors; it sounds as though you are planning to expand, so: electric every time++++! While the combs are spinning you can be uncapping the next lot of combs. Turning the handle of a manual is exhausting and likely to result in RSI akin to ******'s wrist. Sale of 200lbs of honey will pay for the extractor.

 

[swifty]

Thanks for the replies. I've ordered a refractometer to give that a try. I had heard of the shake test but what I was wondering is if the honey has a water content above 20% what do I do with the supers, do I remove if so do I spin before un capping to remove the uncapped honey then uncap and spin again or leave them on the hive for the bees.

 

[Amari]

You could remove the capped frames and extract them. Then return them to the supers. In September feed each colony with syrup (strong formula ie. 1:1) which will be stored in the super and capped. In October nadir each super below the b.box. Come spring the nadired shallow will be empty (the bees move the stores upwards) and you can then put it back on top of the bb.
Not everyone agrees with nadiring - some say it gives the bees unnecessary work to shift the stores. So you could leave the super with stores above the bb - but come spring there is likely to be syrup still in the super which will contaminate the spring honey flow.
NB: remove the queen excluders over winter otherwise the queen may get isolated as the bees follow the remaining stores.

 

[enrico]

If you can test a frame before spinning with a refractometer then don't spin the frames that fail, if you can't then spin them all and take a reading afterwards. The watery honey will rise so the lower honey may pass. I understand you can freeze honey that has high water content and use as you need it. It can be frozen in jars. Never tried it. Any failed frames can be put in a super under the BB and fed back to the bees for winter food. The supers will be clear by spring. If you don't buy a refractometer then it is all guess work. For the sake of £25 buy one...... It is a piece of equipment I would not be without. Just for the record it is rare for honey to ferment in my house as we use so much so quickly! But it is a sticky smelly mess if it does!
E

 

[Popparand]

Some of the supers I extracted had uncapped honey. Tested with refractometer and wc well below 18% so in with the rest it went.

Very useful piece of kit. Nice to know what pc your capped honey is (some<17%) and teaches the grandchildren about measuring etc.

Wouldn't be without it.

 

[Bakerbee]

Before i got a refractor i saw this old australian chap on youtube show how to tell just using a saucepan of water. Fill it about 2 inches deep with cold water. Drop a teaspoon of honey in to middle. Honey thats at correct content stays formed in pan. Honey with to much water dissapates really quickly and edges blend into water around it. I will try and find it to post.

 

[Bakerbee]

https://youtu.be/nh5-LAKL2lw


Hope that link works

 

[swifty]

Cheers guys, refractometer hopefully will be with me tomorrow so that I can check this weekend.
Thanks for the YouTube link that's something I will try along with taking a refractometer reading to see how they compare.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Save a jar for posterity
I have a jar saved from every year

 

[Amari]

Save a jar for posterity
I have a jar saved from every year

How many is that then?

 

[Curly green fingers]

To many to count I bet. I've got three jars , spring , summer, and late summer HB honey so that's three.

 

[Erichalfbee]

How many is that then?

Only 11

 

[Millet]

Only 11

For some reason i like that reply..

 

[Erichalfbee]

To many to count I bet. I've got three jars , spring , summer, and late summer HB honey so that's three.

Ha ha.
If I did that I would have too many.
I just keep a jar of the first crop

 

[Curly green fingers]

You can never have to many jars of honey . We're eating 1 lb every week I might not have any left come spring . except HB honey it's not to my liking to buttery and not very strong in flavour but very sweet .