Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: BabcockFarms on September 20, 2012, 08:10:33 pm

Title: I'm in an extraction predicament!
Post by: BabcockFarms on September 20, 2012, 08:10:33 pm
Ok so I saved up for a good motorized extractor and went to order it today and they are back ordered for 8 to 10 weeks. (#@*!) After all the research I have done I don’t want settle something else, but I might have to.

What options do I have if I decide to wait and get the extractor I want? Currently all the honey supers are still on the hives, so can I leave them there until it is available?

Another option I was contemplating is to pull three at a time bag them and freeze them for three days, then set them in storage until I can extract the honey. The area I can store them now is consistently about 70° as the temperature continues to fall so will the temperature of the storage area.

If this is feasible what precautions need to be taken? The area is mouse resistant, and have never seen a mouse or mouse sign in there. Insects on the other hand are a different story. I doubt I could totally seal out the insects with a heavy duty bag but I have never tried either.

I am open to other ideas also.

Thanks,

Ron
Title: Re: I'm in an extraction predicament!
Post by: AllenF on September 20, 2012, 09:55:16 pm
Call around to see who has the extractor in stock.   Send them your business.

If you freeze your super, when you pull them out, let the warm up ad dry off before bagging them. 
Title: Re: I'm in an extraction predicament!
Post by: iddee on September 20, 2012, 10:38:04 pm
I bag mine first, then freeze them for 2 to 3 days. I have kept them for weeks that way, and i am in heavy SHB and moth territory.
You will want to warm them before extracting, tho. Honey extracts best at about 90 F.
Title: Re: I'm in an extraction predicament!
Post by: BabcockFarms on September 20, 2012, 11:50:38 pm
My thought was along the lines of Iddee. To me it seems better to bag before freezing and keep any moisture away from the honey, however if you found yourself with honey that was a bit high in moisture the freezer should draw some out.

If this is a possibility to postpone extracting the honey by freezing then storing the honey, what type of bag would be best and how is it best to seal it? I just tried using one of those Ziploc Big Bags XL (2’ X 1.7’) on an empty honey super, but it was snug going in and wasn't deep enough to close. If it would have fit it would have been perfect as they seal fairly well and I could keep an eye on the frames as they are transparent. Has anyone tried the Ziploc Big Bags XXL to store a medium super in?

The room I would think would be best to store them in is a very well insulated and fluctuates in temperature very minimally. It would get down to 40° by the middle of November with out heat.

The room I would user to store the frames in and then extract them does have a heater so bringing up the temperature to 90° to extract won't be a problem.

Ron
Title: Re: I'm in an extraction predicament!
Post by: duck on September 21, 2012, 12:06:16 am
someone near you might have an extractor.. see if you can rent?
Title: Re: I'm in an extraction predicament!
Post by: iddee on September 21, 2012, 07:21:29 am
I use the large, black  leaf & trash bags.
Title: Re: I'm in an extraction predicament!
Post by: BabcockFarms on September 21, 2012, 08:09:46 am
How do you seal it up, tape, tie it shut,  or?
Title: Re: I'm in an extraction predicament!
Post by: JackM on September 21, 2012, 09:48:26 am
Knock, knock, the suggestion to rent or trade is your best option, Craigs list......
Title: Re: I'm in an extraction predicament!
Post by: iddee on September 21, 2012, 02:24:23 pm
I use package tape, like you use when you mail a package.

Jack, I have my own extractor, but I still do it to kill the bugs and to do the extracting on a different day from working the bees.
This superman ate too much kryptonite, "" too many birthdays"' and have to spread the work out more than I did years ago.
Title: Re: I'm in an extraction predicament!
Post by: mikecva on September 21, 2012, 02:28:18 pm
If you do not already belong to a beekeepers club near you then I would suggest you contact them and ask for help. Our club will not lend outside of the club but we have extracted for non-members (most have later joined the club)  - Mike
Title: Re: I'm in an extraction predicament!
Post by: BabcockFarms on September 21, 2012, 03:25:19 pm
I did order the extractor this morning and they said it will be shipping in 4 - 6 weeks, better than 8 - 10 weeks. So if it does actually arrive in 4 - 6  weeks would it be better to leave the honey supers on the hives or should I pull them now, freeze, and store them.

Mike, I do belong to a club, and yes  they have an extractor they rent out. The problem is I would have to take off from work and it is 100 miles away one way. So by the time I am done I would have to have taken a day off work, drive a total of 400 miles and rent it for a minimum of 2 days. It's hard to justify the time and expense to do this. Not a very viable option.

There are several beekeepers around me that currently crush and extract or hang inverted in a warm room. They are very interested in renting it once I have it as they don't know of anyone around here that has one either.

They too are wondering what their options are as well.


Ron
Title: Re: I'm in an extraction predicament!
Post by: Bee Curious on September 21, 2012, 11:49:51 pm
I use the large, black  leaf & trash bags.



Iddee,
Black garbage bags are not food safe, often made from recycled plastic and can off-gass or leach chemicals.  I would not use them for storing anything edible in. 
Title: Re: I'm in an extraction predicament!
Post by: iddee on September 22, 2012, 09:09:45 am
I lived through DDT, I think I can live through a few weeks of plastic. The plastic my computer and keyboard is made of isn't food safe, but I'm not dead yet.
Title: Re: I'm in an extraction predicament!
Post by: BabcockFarms on September 22, 2012, 11:04:01 am
Can you leave honey suppers on until the middle of Fall?

Monday, I'm going to stop on the way home from work and look for the Ziploc Big Bags XXL and see if they will work, If not I have some large bags that came from the butcher shop that I will use if I decide to pull and freeze them.

Title: Re: I'm in an extraction predicament!
Post by: JP on September 22, 2012, 11:05:46 am
Bee Curious, should be okay temporarily if you're freezing capped honey. Doubtful anything will be penetrating the cappings. You will be removing the cappings anyway when you extract. Of course for obvious reasons stay clear of the scented garbage bags although those likely wouldn't do much to affect honey but I wouldn't want the scent in my cappings that I would be melting down.


...JP
Title: Re: I'm in an extraction predicament!
Post by: Bee Curious on September 22, 2012, 04:48:46 pm
I lived through DDT, I think I can live through a few weeks of plastic. The plastic my computer and keyboard is made of isn't food safe, but I'm not dead yet.

I'm glad you're not dead, but we don't want to hasten your demise. :buttkick:
The garbage bags with Odor Ban contain triclosan, which when exposed to sunlight breaks down into dioxins--known hormone disruptors, especially thyroid hormone. 
Just saying, not all plastics belong touching things we eat. or our bees might eat :bee:.

Title: Re: I'm in an extraction predicament!
Post by: iddee on September 22, 2012, 05:49:02 pm
The large leaf and trash bags don't contain odor ban.
Title: Re: I'm in an extraction predicament!
Post by: Joe D on September 23, 2012, 11:07:12 pm
I have bagged and froze some frames.  I asked around at local bee meeting and one of the guys that lived the nearest to me told me I could use his new 12 frame extractor when I needed to.  I have called and used it twice, he didn't charge a thing.  Now I have one.  I did give him 3 onion sacks of pecans.  Good luck



Joe
Title: Re: I'm in an extraction predicament!
Post by: BabcockFarms on September 24, 2012, 04:11:20 pm
Sounds like a fair trade. :)
Title: Re: I'm in an extraction predicament!
Post by: BabcockFarms on October 03, 2012, 12:21:03 am
I wasn't able to find any of the Ziploc Big Bags XXL, so I ordered some online. They fit the medium 10 frame honey supers very nicely. I didn't try one full of honey yet but I'm sure the honey will make it more interesting. The best way to get them in the bags looks like if I was to stand the box on end and slide the bag over the box, flip it over and seal it.

I put on a bee escape I built over the weekend on under the 3 honey supers on one hive last night. Tomorrow I will go out and pull and bag the suppers, freeze them in the bags for three days and pull them out and wait until the extractor arrives. The second hive I will leave the three frames on until the extractor gets here unless it looks like it is going to get very cold.
Title: Re: I'm in an extraction predicament!
Post by: GT on October 05, 2012, 01:14:15 pm
I may be late to the game on this topic but here goes. I froze a few supers this year because I had to wrap up extraction and move on to other things. My wife had a few clear plastic produce bags from the local supermarket which she called 'corn' bags because she says they're extra big and wide. The store puts them out next to the corn on the cob bins. Each one covered a super almost to the top, so I put another one on in the opposite direction, wrapped a few rubberbands around both and it was sealed off fine.
Title: Re: I'm in an extraction predicament!
Post by: AllenF on October 05, 2012, 07:24:49 pm
After you freeze a super, you need to give it a few hours to warm up and dry off the condensation before bagging to keep the mold growth down.