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Author Topic: Free storage buckets for honey...... maybe!!  (Read 4937 times)

Offline beebiz

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Free storage buckets for honey...... maybe!!
« on: February 28, 2006, 04:05:02 am »
Hey all,

I don't know if this is where I need to post this or not.

When I've needed buckets for my gardening and yard work in the past, I've gone to Sonic and gotten pickle buckets from them for free. I always had a tough time getting the pickle smell out, but the price was definitely right!!  Sadly, my local Sonic no longer gets their pickles in a bucket, so my "free bucket" source was gone!  

While in my local grocery store, I stopped by the deli and asked about their pickle buckets. The lady said that they got their pickles in a bag.  I thanked her and turned to walk away.

"What do you need buckets for?" she asked. I told her that I wanted them for storing honey, picking vegetables, and other gardening purposes.

She asked, "Would you like 5-gallon or 2.5-gallon buckets?" I told her that I'd love to have both.

Then, she asked me how many I wanted. I told her that I'd love to have about a dozen of the 5-gallon and as many 2.5-gallon ones as I could get my hands on.

"A dozen 5-gallon buckets," she said. "That will take a while. We average emptying only 1 to 3 per day. And, we only go through about 3 or 4 of the 2.5-gallon buckets per day. But, you are welcome to what I can collect for you. And if you don't mind cleaning them out yourself, they won't cost you anything."

Since I knew that they served fried foods, I figured that the buckets would be filled with old grease from the fryers and it would be a pain to clean them out. But, then it dawned on me what kind of daily quantity she had quoted me and I thought surely that would be way too many for grease drippings.

"I'm sure I won't mind cleaning them out. But, what is or was in them? And, can I get any lids for them?" I asked.

"Cake icing, and you can have all the lids if you want them," she said.

So, I'm getting food grade plastic buckets and lids, just for hauling them off and cleaning them out!! From Brushy Mountain Bee Supply , those food grade plastic buckets and lids are $6.50 each plus shipping!!! All totaled, that dozen 5-gallon buckets would cost me around $100.00!!  I think I can haul them off and clean the icing out cheaper than that!!!!!  

I've said all that so say this. If you need a few 5-gallon or 2.5-gallon buckets, check with your local grocers's deli or local confectioner shop. You just might be able to get food grade plastic buckets with lids just for hauling them off and cleaning them out!!
Smile!  The rest of the world will wonder what the heck you're up to!

Offline ian michael davison

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Free storage buckets for honey...... maybe!!
« Reply #1 on: February 28, 2006, 01:27:04 pm »
Hi beebiz
The icing they mention is probably what we would call bakers fondant and is a lot cheaper than candy from the bee suppliers(IN THE UK ANYWAY) If you get on good terms with them you may get a bucket or two at cost for  winter FEEDING. A jar or two of honey normaly SWEETENS the deal. :lol:
OK that was bad.

Regards Ian

Offline beebiz

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Free storage buckets for honey...... maybe!!
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2006, 02:45:32 pm »
Thanks Ian!!  I'll check into that!
Smile!  The rest of the world will wonder what the heck you're up to!

Offline Chad S

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Free storage buckets for honey...... maybe!!
« Reply #3 on: March 01, 2006, 01:49:39 pm »
For the price of a whole saw at ace hardware, and the honey gate you can have a very nice bucket that you can bottle from for very cheep.

Chad

Offline fuzzybeekeeper

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Free storage buckets for honey...... maybe!!
« Reply #4 on: March 01, 2006, 03:24:25 pm »
Chad,

I already thought of that.

And with honey gates so expensive, rather than buy 5 or 10 honey gates for that many buckets, you could buy several smaller valves that don't lend themselves to honey and set the other buckets to drain into the honey valve bucket while you bottle from the honey valve.  It might be a case of a chair on top of a table, but it would be a lot cheaper.

I have been collecting gallon pickle jars from the local athletic concession stand.  The price for those is right, too.  FREE!  I intend to use them for feeding but thought about storing honey in them.  Any thought about if the pickle smell would enter the honey even if I can't smell pickles in the jars?  I think the lids have more smell than the jars.  Perhaps a wash in clorox would help.  Any thoughts?

Fuzzybeekeeper

Offline buck

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Free storage buckets for honey...... maybe!!
« Reply #5 on: March 01, 2006, 04:30:10 pm »
I get all the buckets I want the same way.  From the bakery at the local L&l grocery.  I give them honey and they can't wait until we need more buckets.

Offline beebiz

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Free storage buckets for honey...... maybe!!
« Reply #6 on: March 01, 2006, 10:19:18 pm »
Chad said:
Quote
For the price of a whole saw at ace hardware, and the honey gate you can have a very nice bucket that you can bottle from for very cheep.


I'm sure your right about that IF I were going to buy a hole saw.  But, I didn't!!

I got my first two 5-gallon buckets & lids today.  I cleaned both of them very good.  After they dried good I took one of the lids and used my pocket knife to cut the big hole out in the lid to the bucket that I will use as the bottling bucket.  If anyone else tries that, I would suggest that they be VERY care ful!!  If the knife slips just right, even a dull knife can do some serious damage.  I keep mine razor sharp and had no problem.  I was just VERY careful!


Fuzzybeekeeper said:
Quote
And with honey gates so expensive, rather than buy 5 or 10 honey gates for that many buckets, you could buy several smaller valves that don't lend themselves to honey and set the other buckets to drain into the honey valve bucket while you bottle from the honey valve. It might be a case of a chair on top of a table, but it would be a lot cheaper.


That was the same thing that I was thinking.  But, if I put honey valves on the buckets that I don't use as bottling buckets, they (the valves) will stick out.  For most, I'm sure that would not be such a problem.  But, I know my luck and how clumsy I can sometimes be.  Sooner or later I would either trip over one of the valves or bang into it with a bucket full of honey.  And then, I'd have one heck of a mess!! :evil:

Keep in mind that I only have one hive right now.  So, what I think I'll try is just pouring the honey from a regular bucket into the bottling bucket.  I can make a rest or stand for the regular bucket to sit on (as it is tipped over0 while it drains into the bottling bucket.


Chad said:
Quote
I think the lids have more smell than the jars. Perhaps a wash in clorox would help. Any thoughts?


I have used a pickle jar as a feeder too.  Fortunately, the glass doesn't harbor the pickle smell or taste like plastic does.  I quick trip through the dishwasher should take care of it.  If it won't fit in your dishwasher, a good washing with some dish soap, a rinse with some mild bleach water, and a good rinsing with some plain water should make it fine to use as a feeder.

As for the lid, I washed it the same way that I did the jar and it still had a small amount of pickle smell to it.  So, I set it out in the sun for a couple of days and washed it again.  That time neither my wife or I could smell any more pickle!  I've been using it since then and the girls have never turned it down!

Good luck!
Smile!  The rest of the world will wonder what the heck you're up to!

Offline fuzzybeekeeper

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Free storage buckets for honey...... maybe!!
« Reply #7 on: March 02, 2006, 11:24:03 am »
Beebiz,

I do wash mine in the dishwasher.  I can put 9 - gallon jars on the bottom and lots of lids on the top.  Mostly I run the jars through the dishwasher after my wife is in bed.  I don't think she would mind the jars in the dishwasher but she would begin to wonder about my sanity if she knew how many I put through there.

If you wash your jars this way you need to make sure you remove the paper labels.  They will come off in the washer and clog the intake to the pump.  I found a whole fist full of paper labels when something plastic fell down and burned on the heating element.

I like your idea of setting the lids out in the sun.  I'll do that.  

I have never had a problem with the ladies taking syrup.  I mainly was wondering if honey stored in the jars for several months would pick up any of the residual pickle smell.

I'm not sure why I am worried about that now since you turned us on to a good source of 5 gallon buckets that are more effecient and non-breakable.  I had gathered several from my school that had contained a water-based wax stripper from summer waxing but was real concerned since they were not food-grade buckets.  Icing buckets are the perfect solution.

Thanks!!!

Fuzzybeekeeper

Offline DBoire

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Free storage buckets for honey...... maybe!!
« Reply #8 on: March 02, 2006, 08:37:39 pm »
Any thoughts on "food Grade" vs other?  I collected 3 or so 5 gal buckets from my sheet rock remodeling, cleaned them well and then started thinking seriously about this question.  Is there a difference in the polymer or is it hype?

Offline beebiz

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Free storage buckets for honey...... maybe!!
« Reply #9 on: March 03, 2006, 12:38:19 am »
DBoire, here is what eroi.com says about it:
Quote
What Is Food Grade Plastic?

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) requires that plastics used in food packaging be of greater purity than plastics used for non-food packaging. This is commonly referred to as food grade plastic. Plastics used to package pharmaceuticals are held to an even higher standard than food grade.

Food grade plastic does not contain dyes or recycled plastic deemed harmful to humans. However, this does not mean that food grade plastic cannot contain recycled plastic. The FDA has detailed regulations concerning recycled plastics in food packaging.

Another aspect of food grade plastic is matching the appropriate type of plastic to the food in question. Foods that are highly acidic or that contain alcohol or fats can leach plastic additives from the packaging or container into the food. As a result, you should only use plastic containers that are FDA approved for the particular type of food the plastic will come into contact with.


If you would like to read more about the subject, click HERE and scroll about 3/4 of the way down the page.  The information is under the heading of "Food Packaging and Storage."

Also, if you google "what is food grade plastic" you will find more information.
Smile!  The rest of the world will wonder what the heck you're up to!