Thinking ahead to the honey harvest

[manek]

I'm getting a bit excited at the prospect of my first honey harvest - the first super is two-thirds full so a second went on yesterday.

So I'm thinking ahead about what happens when I steal the girls' treasury (I've been enjoying reading Laline Paull's book The Bees). Specifically, about things like hygiene: eg should I sterilise the jars or is cleaning them in the dishwasher at 65 degrees good enough? I don't plan to sell any (most jars will probably will be given away) although if I end up with 20+ jars I might put a handful up for sale at a local fete. How much would I normally get per super (National, Manley frames)?

Then there's kit: I'm pretty sure I can borrow an extractor, but which filter should I buy to strain the honey? And how big a bucket will I need for my one hive's worth of bee juice?

Sorry for all the newbie questions but - well, you know. Thanks in advance.

 

[Vortex]

A 10 frame manley national should yield anywhere between 25 and 45 lbs of honey.. depends on exactly how full, crystaliation rates, and a few other factors.
Jars should be sterilised but need to be cool enough to comfortably hold in the palm of your hand before filling with honey.
Thornes standard 2part filter is all you need, although you can get away with just the fine one if you need to .. it just gets clogged quicker.
As to how many buckets.. depends on whether you buy 30lb or 10lb buckets..

 

[colinc]

I would say buy buckets in 10's they stack well and too many is better than too few. 2 national supers in the spring filled 4 1/2 10lb buckets for me.
Get a 30lb bucket with a tap in the bottom for jarring from.
Filters 400 micron and 200 micron. 400 takes the wax chunks out and 200 the small body parts ;-)
Use both and rinse the 400 when it clogs.
If you try to filter with a single 200 it clogs too quickly and finer than that would need to be sold as filtered honey as it removes too much pollen.
The process works best when the honey is still warm 25-30 degrees. So take off the hive and extract as soon as possible.



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[enrico]

These are things not be messed with if you want an easy life. Borrow a good extractor or buy one. A three frame manual that will take brood frames is always a good start and you can still use it if you ever upgrade to a radial that only takes supers. Then buy a normal two part filter. I have never used anything else. And finally a proper bucket with a proper tap. I used a beer fermenting bucket for years. Plastic is good as it all cleans easy. That is all you need apart from jars. Oh and something for taking caps off. Heated knife or hot air blower.
E

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I'm getting a bit excited at the prospect of my first honey harvest - the first super is two-thirds full so a second went on yesterday.

So I'm thinking ahead about what happens when I steal the girls' treasury (I've been enjoying reading Laline Paull's book The Bees). Specifically, about things like hygiene: eg should I sterilise the jars or is cleaning them in the dishwasher at 65 degrees good enough? I don't plan to sell any (most jars will probably will be given away) although if I end up with 20+ jars I might put a handful up for sale at a local fete. How much would I normally get per super (National, Manley frames)?

Then there's kit: I'm pretty sure I can borrow an extractor, but which filter should I buy to strain the honey? And how big a bucket will I need for my one hive's worth of bee juice?

Sorry for all the newbie questions but - well, you know. Thanks in advance.

A stainless steel double mesh filter from eBay that has sliding supports for different buckets. The buckets with taps are also available from eBay, as are jars. For a few jars you won't get much volume discount but future years will hopefully require a lot more, then you can make significant savings by shopping around.

 

[Beefriendly]

eg should I sterilise the jars or is cleaning them in the dishwasher at 65 degrees good enough?

Easier to get into good habits and heat sterilize. I go for overkill at 180oC in the oven for about 10 minutes or so. Environmental health explained that dishwasher "sterilization" can be a problem with many of them not reaching the temperature they say they do.
Don't do your lids in the oven....it chars the rubber seals. IF bought in bulk bags they arrive sterile, if they have been repackaged aren't.
Poor method is boiling water on them, better is pressure cooker at 15lbs for 10 minutes then dry off in oven using the residual heat from the jar sterilization.

But if you aren't selling to the public simple clean jars and lids will do. Honey is very low risk due to it's antibacterial properties in the first place.

 

[manek]

Great advice there, many thanks.

I've managed to borrow an extractor, I can cope without an official uncapping tray, and have a hot air gun. Seems that all I now need to buy is a storage tank (with valve).