Help on OSR please.

[Monsieur Abeille]

Just to confirm, I left mine six weeks and maybe 50% has crystallised - so I'd aim for 5 weeks or less.

 

[colinc]

Did extract mine at 5-6 weeks and minimal crystallisation it was the only weather window available. 2 hives 3 feet apart and the honey from those hives was completely different colours.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[stevebrowning]

I am the opposite side of the county over near Alcester. Lots always in M5 corridor and lots further east in Warwickshire but never so close to us before.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Your in my neck of the woods then...

 

[colinc]

Your in my neck of the woods then...

Hi. Nice to meet you. Whereabouts are you then, roughly. Open forum after all some like privacy.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[stevebrowning]

Hi. Nice to meet you. Whereabouts are you then, roughly. Open forum after all some like privacy.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Based in Studley but spreading out in the Stratford direction, the Ridgeway is my border in your direction

 

[colinc]

Just up the hill from you live just off the ridgeway


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[stevebrowning]

Your stuck smack in the middle of two Beefarmers then, me and ChrisB

 

[bees knees]

Am I too late to extract osr now do you think?

 

[drex]

Did mine yesterday. Had started to crystallise but not a lot. Depends on state of the crop

 

[YorkshireBees]

There is ofc at least the OSR that is planted in Autumn / Winter and that planted in Spring.

In terms of when to extract, always as soon as it's ready (shake test followed by refractometer).

In good years I have at least 2 extractions for OSR and I know my farmer has warned me (told me) that the Spring sown will start to flower soon!

Going to try and extract this week if it's ready and I get the chance as the temps are rising next week. (Hope the forecast is right).

 

[bees knees]

Ofc?

 

[YorkshireBees]

Ofc?

Sorry ofc = of course

 

[bees knees]

Sorry ofc = of course

Ah - thanks!

 

[Plenty of honey]

Just to confirm, I left mine six weeks and maybe 50% has crystallised - so I'd aim for 5 weeks or less.

Just to say that i reckon your right in your timing, but, this spring we had a lot of cold nights,, exactly the same here in North brittany. in my hives, the crystallisation was all int he extremities if the frames. none where the cluster was there permanently.
I say crystallisation will happen very quickly in the spring but its accelerated by cold weather. This spring, we had plenty of that early on.
Last year i had my supers on for 6 weeks and i extracted nearly every last drop. Our night time temps were just above freezing for many nights in April. I had supers on for just under 5 weeks and much more crystallisation. not a huge loss, but it was about 10 to 15 kilos.

 

[Beefriendly]

It's also noticeable that OSR honey in poly super will stay liquid for much longer that in wooden hives. In years when I've been late removing OSR supers those in wood has vbeen set and and poly was still nice and runny, although you can get a few cells set in the very outer combs.
I presume because of the greater heat retention properties.

 

[bees knees]

Just extracted - yay!

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Just to say that i reckon your right in your timing, but, this spring we had a lot of cold nights,, exactly the same here in North brittany. in my hives, the crystallisation was all int he extremities if the frames. none where the cluster was there permanently.
I say crystallisation will happen very quickly in the spring but its accelerated by cold weather. This spring, we had plenty of that early on.
Last year i had my supers on for 6 weeks and i extracted nearly every last drop. Our night time temps were just above freezing for many nights in April. I had supers on for just under 5 weeks and much more crystallisation. not a huge loss, but it was about 10 to 15 kilos.

Yes, the cold weather can't have helped