Do you have a preference on how you harvest honey?

[Gail Di Matteo]

What are some of the differences, honey-wise, between doing crush and strain vs. extracting? I remember a blip about extracting adding air to the honey: Does this thin out the honey? Since my only experience is doing crush and strain, I can't compare. Is there a noticeable difference? I've been told that my honey is great: nice and thick unlike other farm stand honey. (This coming from one of my brothers;  high praise indeed!)

Could I have your opinion please?
Thanks,
Gail

[Understudy]

With me, I put the frames in the extractor. Spin it into a bucket that has a double layered sieve.

Place in bottle and sell to customer.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

[tillie]

Gail, I'm very biased toward crush and strain, but I too get incredible compliments about my honey being thicker and tastier than any anyone has ever tasted.

My bias includes:

1.  The honey doesn't have added air in it
2.  The clean up is much simpler than cleaning an extractor and all that goes with it (I extracted once in a course I took where we also did all the clean-up - tons more than with crush and strain)
3.  My bees make new wax each year, so when I have a particularly good frame I can do cut comb or chunk comb honey because the wax is always soft, white and lovely
4.  It's fast to cut and crush the honey and then I leave it in a warm place to do the rest of the work on its own in the straining basket...much faster to cut the honey off of the comb than to use an extracting knife (something else to clean)

Of course, you'll hear from many who prefer extraction.  Ask 10 beekeepers a question and you'll get 10 different (all good and valid) answers!

Linda T in Atlanta

[bernie]

Gail, your local beekeepers association (Mountain Empire Beekeepers Ass.) meets January 24 in Finncastle Hall, at Wythville Comm. College.  Several of the members crush and strain, but most extract.  Stop in and talk with them.  They are only about fifteen miles from you. 

[Cindi]

OK Linda.  Now I have to go back into your website and see how you did that crush and strain.  I have only used an extractor and this year didn't have enough honey to use the extractor, so I am doing the crush and strain, and it is a royal pain in the a....  I am not kidding.  It took me about 2 hours to do 10 frames of honey, I must be doing something wrong, hee, hee.  Well, I didn't have anything else to do anyways on this rainy, rainy, windy, and I mean horrible windy day.  Didn't dare go outside, those evils that live on the trees that fly when the wind blows.  Could be a dangerous day in the outback, hee, hee.  have a wonderful, beautiful day.  Cindi

[tillie]

It never takes me that long, Cindi, but I work in compact space and get everything set up ahead of time....I can't imagine doing it at this time of year because with it cold it must take the honey forever to go through the strainer?????

Linda T in Atlanta

[annette]

I just love the crush and strain that I have done on a few frames here and there. So much easier than getting out the extractor and having to clean it afterwards. Also much easier cleanup. I am leaning more towards just doing the crush and strain, but haven't decided yet.

Annette

[randydrivesabus]

i think its a quantity thing. at some point crush and strain is going to require too many seperate setups since it has to sit around and drain through the screen.

[sean]

i think its a quantity thing. at some point crush and strain is going to require too many seperate setups since it has to sit around and drain through the screen.

my sentiments exactly. for a few frames crush and strain is ok, butt as the numbers start to increase it will not be practical

[Michael Bush]

I think the crush and strain tastes slightly better.  I think the main reason is probably not getting any scorched honey from the uncapping knife.

[Cindi]

Linda, the room that I have the honey in is very warm.  I still want to revisit your video, you have done some nice work on that website  8-) ;) :)  I have a heater that I turn on to warm the room even more.  It is located in the lower floor of our house.  I will get some pictures to show what I have been up to, but like I said, I probably am doing things the hard way, but the honey has flown through the bucket and strainer I see.  Have a wonderful and best of days.  Cindi

[bassman1977]

I like extracting.  My hands and wrists get sore from crushing.

I think the crush and strain tastes slightly better.  I think the main reason is probably not getting any scorched honey from the uncapping knife.

I use a uncapping fork and that's it.  Quick, easy, and no heat.   :lol:  Of course once I get my TBH going, I'll be doing crush and strain with that comb, but I think I am going to devise some sort of contraption that will crush the comb for me.

[Scadsobees]

You'll get more honey and less wax when extracting.  I don't need anymore wax.

As far as thickness goes, sometimes that has to do with the floral source and the bees, but I find that if I warm my honey for a while to drive out the crystals it feels thinner.

I don't get scorched honey because my bread knife only gets heated to room temperature  :-P  I only get a scorched honey when I leave the toilet seat up again :roll:  :-D

Rick

[Cindi]

:-P  I only get a scorched honey when I leave the toilet seat up again :roll:  :-D

Rick
[/quote]

Being the only female in the house, among 5 of these guys, I know about the scorched honey on the toilet seat, grrrrrr.  And then the dogs all drinking from the toilet, grrrrrr.  I am a scorched honey  :-D :roll: ;) :)  Have a wonderful day, and remember that toilet seat.  Cindi

[BeeHopper]

With me, I put the frames in the extractor. Spin it into a bucket that has a double layered sieve.

Place in bottle and sell to customer.

Sincerely,
Brendhan

My preference as well  :-D

[KONASDAD]

My crush and strain honey granulated w/in three months while my extracted is still free running. Customers do not like crystalized honey no matter how often you tell them its not spoiled, just warm it speeches.

[sean]

I like extracting.  My hands and wrists get sore from crushing.

I think the crush and strain tastes slightly better.  I think the main reason is probably not getting any scorched honey from the uncapping knife.

I use a uncapping fork and that's it.  Quick, easy, and no heat.   :lol:  Of course once I get my TBH going, I'll be doing crush and strain with that comb, but I think I am going to devise some sort of contraption that will crush the comb for me.

i have been thinking of starting a tbh and wondering aboutthe extraction. Would a using rolling pin make any any sense?

[Cindi]

My crush and strain honey granulated w/in three months while my extracted is still free running. Customers do not like crystalized honey no matter how often you tell them its not spoiled, just warm it speeches.

Konasdad, that will be interesting for me.  I still have a small bit of honey left over from the season of 2006.  It is still in liquid form.  This past season 2007, the honeybees foraged on exactly the same flowers, etc.  I have done the crush and strain (actually am still doing it).  It will be very interesting to see if this honey granulates sooner.  Well, my old honey hasn't ever granulated, so we will see.  It will be an interesting accounting for sure and I will truly keep some pretty close tabs on the granulation thing, should it surface.  Great foods for thought.  Have the best and most wonderful day.  Cindi

[bassman1977]

i have been thinking of starting a tbh and wondering aboutthe extraction. Would a using rolling pin make any any sense?

Not sure.  I'd be interested to hear if others have tried this.  I was thinking something more along the lines of how apples are squeezed to make apple cider.

[tillie]

My honey from 2006, all harvested crush and strain, has yet to crystallize - wonder if something else affects that process?

I use a pestle to crush the honey - quick work and my wrists don't get sore, mostly because there's not any wrist bending involved in using the pestle.

Like I said, ask a beekeeping question and ten beekeepers will give you ten different (and good) perspectives.

Linda T in Atlanta