My First Bee set up

[debbie.jane61]

I bought six hives from a fellow novice who unfortunately suffered an allergic reaction before he could even get started. The small single brood failed over winter but the remaining five are alive and well, two extremally active and one super aggressive. They are on a local farm in Loughborough in many acres of oil seed rape. Ive been told the honey is very pale and nice but I need to harvest early or it sets solid and wont come out. I guess I'll find out.

 

[Ian123]

Regarding osr with good weather keep well in front with space and that definitely includes the brood box. In terms of extraction you’ll need to do it when the flowers are starting to go over that’s probably before the flowers in the field have all completed flowering, even then you may find some has started to set in frames. Once boxes are off don’t store and extract asap, don’t leave sitting in the garage or cold room for a few days!

 

[Amari]

I bought six hives from a fellow novice who unfortunately suffered an allergic reaction before he could even get started. The small single brood failed over winter but the remaining five are alive and well, two extremally active and one super aggressive. They are on a local farm in Loughborough in many acres of oil seed rape. Ive been told the honey is very pale and nice but I need to harvest early or it sets solid and wont come out. I guess I'll find out.

Welcome to the forum DJ61
I hope you have plenty of spare supers with comb or foundation to hand! If your hives are within a km of the OSR and in good weather you might find a super gets filled within a week. I extract a box as soon as the majority of the combs are capped and the 'shake test' is negative (hold the frame horizontally and shake. If honey sprays out it isn't 'ripe' = water content is >20% and it will ferment after a few weeks. A refractometer @ c. £50 is a better test). OSR honey is not everyone's favourite but I find it sells well.

 

[debbie.jane61]

Welcome to the forum DJ61
I hope you have plenty of spare supers with comb or foundation to hand! If your hives are within a km of the OSR and in good weather you might find a super gets filled within a week. I extract a box as soon as the majority of the combs are capped and the 'shake test' is negative (hold the frame horizontally and shake. If honey sprays out it isn't 'ripe' = water content is >20% and it will ferment after a few weeks. A refractometer @ c. £50 is a better test). OSR honey is not everyone's favourite but I find it sells well.

My hives are about 5meters from the OSR!! Im going to be busy