How much to extract?

[yeogi75]

I would take five frames from the full super and extract, then take one brood frame full of brood only no bees and put in hive lacking bees, and put empty frame from short hive for queen to refill.

 

[Nige.Coll]

Honey is worth a lot more than sugar

 

[Finman]

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Idea in beekeeping is that a beekeeper change bees' winter storages to cheap sugar.

If you think, that in advanced beekeeping bees eate honey and the beekeeper eates sugar, that you can do without keeping hives.

 

[Dishmop]

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Idea in beekeeping is that a beekeeper change bees' winter storages to cheap sugar.

If you think, that in advanced beekeeping bees eate honey and the beekeeper eates sugar, that you can do without keeping hives.

Its not everyones idea.

 

[milkermel]

personally I would say treat yourself to a few frames but try and leave a super on each colony. a couple of years ago I took all supers but there were stores in bb, put fondant on top over winter as advised, the bees didn't touch the fondant, but starved. lost 3 colonies like that so I prefer to keep life and lose honey if need be. this year I had two supers still full at beginning of season, so extracted them then.

 

[pargyle]

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Idea in beekeeping is that a beekeeper change bees' winter storages to cheap sugar.

If you think, that in advanced beekeeping bees eate honey and the beekeeper eates sugar, that you can do without keeping hives.

Yeh ... But this is the BEGINNERS SECTION ... so they are probably safer NOT following this particular Finman catechism ... You can take some honey and leave some honey - as a hobby beekeeper there should be enough to go round without robbing every last drop of honey out of the hive.

 

[Finman]

Yeh ... - as a hobby beekeeper there should be enough to go round without robbing every last drop of honey out of the hive.

Every last drop.....that is ridiculous idea. Who in heck is able to take last drop, even if he wants.
After extracting combs have still 20% out of full honey. Then you put them to be cleaned into the hive.

beginners are as adult persons as those teachers who teach naiv habits to "beginners".

What I say: Bees over winter exactly as well with sugar as with honey.

 

[Swarm]

It's not just Finman, I've heard many beeks say sugar is cheaper than honey. That full super could be extracted, the bees have stores in the brood chamber and when returned, there is a super to clean and fill with the Balsam that will just be kicking in. Depending on the flow, there may even be a chance to harvest more ... and then there will be Ivy.

 

[Finman]

To store honey and then give a super to the hive is quite bad idea for wintering.

Colony needs as big wintering room as their brood area is in late summer. First of all wintering room should be compact. A vast room condensates respiration moisture inside the hive and that means mold formation.
you must leave for winter the brood box and then you give extra box what the cluster does not need. Bees must then keep douple space warm with that trick.

Very bad teaching to the beginners...

 

[Dishmop]

To store honey and then give a super to the hive is quite bad idea for wintering.

Colony needs as big wintering room as their brood area is in late summer. First of all wintering room should be compact. A vast room condensates respiration moisture inside the hive and that means mold formation.
you must leave for winter the brood box and then you give extra box what the cluster does not need. Bees must then keep douple space warm with that trick.

Very bad teaching to the beginners...

you must leave for winter the brood box.....and then you give extra box what the cluster does not need?

 

[TOBY-3652]

Every last drop.....that is ridiculous idea. Who in heck is able to take last drop, even if he wants.
After extracting combs have still 20% out of full honey. Then you put them to be cleaned into the hive.

beginners are as adult persons as those teachers who teach naiv habits to "beginners".

What I say: Bees over winter exactly as well with sugar as with honey.

I take ALL the honey I can then fed with syrup in September/ October. HONEY £4-00 A POUND,, SYRUP £1-00 A POUND... NO CONTEST REALY

 

[Dishmop]

What I say: Bees over winter exactly as well with sugar as with honey.

You have mentioned it once or twice before...
It's your choice... Nobody is saying that you should not feed sugar.

I find it easier to leave a few frames of honey in a box for them instead of having to add a box for a syrup feeder to go in, and then having to keep filling the feeder. I dont know the difference between honey or sugar for winter feed, and I'm not particularly bothered.

 

[Finman]

You have mentioned it once or twice before...
It's your choice... Nobody is saying that you should not feed sugar.

I find it easier to leave a few frames of honey in a box .

You have told that many times. You get couple of jars from your hives and donate them to your friends.

Sure, it is easier to do nothing and the most painfull work is to sell the honey crop.

 

[Davelin]

This is really quite an absurd argument.


The only important fact is to ensure that your bees have sufficient food to get them through the winter.

Whether that is their own honey or fed sugar is just a choice for the beekeeper.

You can argue economics against ethics; there is no right or wrong.

People will do what they thing is the best action; you may disagree, but you can't say one way is right and one way is wrong.

Everyone is entitled to opinions on this, but that is exactly what they are.

 

[Finman]

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To sell honey is unethic...OK

 

[Dishmop]

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To sell honey is unethic...OK

Nobody has ever said that.
I dont have a problem with anybody who feeds syrup so that they have more honey for sale...
I cant understand why you want to make such a big deal out of the fact that not everybody wants to do it your way.

You have told that many times. You get couple of jars from your hives and donate them to your friends.

Sure, it is easier to do nothing and the most painfull work is to sell the honey crop.

Its quite sad that you have a problem with the fact that I only take what honey I need for myself and give some away to friends and family, and there you are worrying about filling your car with petrol.

Easier.......??? Of course its easier..

I have other work to do which is more lucrative and far easier than producing honey, and not at all painfull.

 

[Dishmop]

This is really quite an absurd argument.


The only important fact is to ensure that your bees have sufficient food to get them through the winter.

Whether that is their own honey or fed sugar is just a choice for the beekeeper.

You can argue economics against ethics; there is no right or wrong.

People will do what they thing is the best action; you may disagree, but you can't say one way is right and one way is wrong.

Everyone is entitled to opinions on this, but that is exactly what they are.

I agree with what you say, as I think many others here also do..... but when we get told that we are doing it wrong because we leave honey for the bees instead of feeding syrup and we are stupid for doing what we want to do...is somewhat out of order.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I agree with what you say, as I think many others here also do..... but when we get told that we are doing it wrong because we leave honey for the bees instead of feeding syrup and we are stupid for doing what we want to do...is somewhat out of order.

Come on this argument is simply pointless. Give us all a rest now we know Finman makes a living from honey sales and you don't. I leave my bees their 14 x 12 brood box stores but the contents of the supers is mine to extract and sell. It's not a living but the sales income buys beekeeping stuff for the future.

 

[BeeJayBee]

I leave my bees their 14 x 12 brood box stores but the contents of the supers is mine to extract and sell. It's not a living but the sales income buys beekeeping stuff for the future.

I do the same, but us Jumbo Langstroths.

The honey in the brood box is theirs to keep, anything capped in the supers is mine to extract. If necessary they get syrup and/or fondant to top up the brood box, but there's a lot of ivy around these days, so plenty of late nectar.

 

[Finman]

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Very tough level discussion.
Can you take honey from your hives and sell it?
Can a beginner take honey from a hive and sell it.
Can a beginner take money if he sells honey.

.... Experienced beekeepers quide you in this forum. Don't worry!