Warre hives.

[Beefriendly]

I will pm you to discuss other matters though
Heather honey .

No probs at the moment...but just been informed I have lost one of my heather sites as farmer has moved....more legwork needed to find another site.

 

[Curly green fingers]

:

No probs at the moment...but just been informed I have lost one of my heather sites as farmer has moved....more legwork needed to find another site.

No worries I'm sure you'll find more.

 

[Ian123]

No probs at the moment...but just been informed I have lost one of my heather sites as farmer has moved....more legwork needed to find another site.

Just go see who ever takes the place on, the fact the last guy had no issues normaly works in your favour

 

[Curly green fingers]

I went to collect the three colony's yesterday a five hour round trip .
It looks like some of the boxes are in a bit of a mess the comb is all over the place in some of the boxes , some frames of comb are good , it looks like I've a lot to sort out though .
I've alot of spare drawn out comb which are on just top bar frames any advice?

 

[Murox]

Drawn comb can be very handy, on the other hand its an opportunity to have a "clean sweep". have you decided how you intend to operate these particular hives yet - that should give you an answer ??

 

[Poly Hive]

£800? Thank goodness I am sitting down.

I wouldn't have. No way.

PH

 

[Curly green fingers]

Drawn comb can be very handy, on the other hand its an opportunity to have a "clean sweep". have you decided how you intend to operate these particular hives yet - that should give you an answer ??

Cut comb was my thoughts I get asked for it alot ,
I've 8 spare boxes ,two floors two quilts and one roof . There's also 3 packs of 10 top bar frames unused , and probably enough drawn comb to make three boxes up .
The above was all extra equipment .
Well worth £800 I think , I gave him two jars of runny spring/summer honey .

I did also think about taking them to the olchon valley for the heather? Your thoughts...
pH with all the spare equipment plus three colony's two boxes each floors quilts roofs etc.. my calculations are alot more than £800 .
How do you put a price on someone's bee's that they've loved but had to let go because of I'll health???

 

[Murox]

Are you considering transhumance with Warre hives ? - that could be a lot of work.
Do you have the means to extract heather honey or is it your intention to produce only cut comb? Personally I would be looking to find “the perfect” site rather than think about moving them. If you can produce could cut comb it is less bother than extracting. The stuff I used to produce years ago sold like proverbial hot cakes as I sold it near a popular holiday resort.

Have you read these ? https://warre.------------/plans.htm and http://www.naturalbeekeeping.com.au/Delon 'stable-climate' hive.pdf

 

[Curly green fingers]

Are you considering transhumance with Warre hives ? - that could be a lot of work.
Do you have the means to extract heather honey or is it your intention to produce only cut comb? Personally I would be looking to find “the perfect” site rather than think about moving them. If you can produce could cut comb it is less bother than extracting. The stuff I used to produce years ago sold like proverbial hot cakes as I sold it near a popular holiday resort.

Have you read these ? https://warre.------------/plans.htm and http://www.naturalbeekeeping.com.au/Delon 'stable-climate' hive.pdf

It would be easier for me to leave them where I've put them the forage is really good and there's late flows of Hb . The estate farm shop would like me to sell cut comb so I'm sure it would sell really well.
There's scope for more than three hives here .

I've Access to a press for heather but my father's farm is 80 miles away so it's not ideal.
I'll concentrate on the cut comb I think, thanks for the links murox as always .
Cheers
Mark.
Ps the first link won't load??

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Cut comb was my thoughts I get asked for it alot ,

Trouble with Warre hives is, the comb that has honey in at the end of the year will be old brood comb as the system of nadiring boxes means that the brood nest moves downwards leaving honey on top.

No problem with extraction by crush and strain but some would look askance at eating old brooded comb.

 

[Curly green fingers]

Trouble with Warre hives is, the comb that has honey in at the end of the year will be old brood comb as the system of nadiring boxes means that the brood nest moves downwards leaving honey on top.

No problem with extraction by crush and strain but some would look askance at eating old brooded comb.

It could be a new thing black comb honey

 

[Poly Hive]

Extracting heather by pressing is an utter sod of a job. It's something I did once with a seriously good press but never ever again.

PH

 

[Murox]

Trouble with Warre hives is, the comb that has honey in at the end of the year will be old brood comb as the system of nadiring boxes means that the brood nest moves downwards leaving honey on top.

No problem with extraction by crush and strain but some would look askance at eating old brooded comb.

Cant recall where I read this, but after the first couple of nadired boxes when the hive starts to get too tall when there is a good flow on, its quite reasonable to simply super, as long as the Q has room enough she is (fingers crossed) less likely to go up through two or more boxes of honey. Purists may not agree of course.

 

[Curly green fingers]

Extracting heather by pressing is an utter sod of a job. It's something I did once with a seriously good press but never ever again.

PH

There's not that much heather honey around these parts. it's always soft set or set honey , any of mine of the hill has always been runny (none heather)and sells before the white stuff we have .
Could do with a good supply of heather honey.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Cant recall where I read this, but after the first couple of nadired boxes when the hive starts to get too tall when there is a good flow on, its quite reasonable to simply super.

The trick is to remove the top ones, take away the honey then replace empty boxes at the bottom.
No rule to say you can only take the honey away once a season.

 

[Murox]

As always there is more than one option.

 

[Beefriendly]

Extracting heather by pressing is an utter sod of a job. It's something I did once with a seriously good press but never ever again.

PH

Depends what sort of a press you use. I find this water pressure one is excellent and does the job in no time. Takes 2 supers worth at a time, although there are larger models.
All that agitating each individual frame before placing in a tangential extractor I found very time consuming....

 

[Curly green fingers]

Cheers both you've give me plenty to think about ,
If I go down the cut comb route I won't be getting as much honey but I suppose it's worth it do you know how much cut comb sells for ?

 

[Beefriendly]

Cheers both you've give me plenty to think about ,
If I go down the cut comb route I won't be getting as much honey but I suppose it's worth it do you know how much cut comb sells for ?

Depends what you can get for it.....
Note you will sell 20x more honey in jars than cut comb. The modern generation simply don't know what it is.

I sell it on the stall for £6 for an approx 8oz piece (they vary).
Shops I supply it to sell it at between £7-8.

 

[Curly green fingers]

Depends what you can get for it.....
Note you will sell 20x more honey in jars than cut comb. The modern generation simply don't know what it is.

I sell it on the stall for £6 for an approx 8oz piece (they vary).
Shops I supply it to sell it at between £7-8.

I've seen it for sale but can't recall what the price was, the estate farm shop want me to supply it , and some of my hives are on there estate (warre) and nationals .
The earls son want's me to build the hives up , I'm not sure really but as It stand's I'm buying all the stock so as not to be tide into nowt you never know what might happen in the future .
I'm keeping my options open with more out apiarys incase .
Thanks for your insight N .