sugar in bulk - continued

[tandemrx]

I would like to branch out on Stone's quest for cheaper sugar and ask the beekeepers with >10 hives how in the world they keep up with fall feedings.

I feel like I have a decent system to make sugar syrup fairly simply directly in my 5G pails, but this year in particular my hives are light and the bees are taking in syrup like mad (and they need to in order to get through winter).

It just seems like excessive work to be making 10 gallons of syrup at a time and even then it really isn't enough.  With 8-10 hives and 1.5 gallon feeders I really need 12-15 gallons at a go to fill my feeders and then maybe repeat in 4-5 days.

I make my syrup directly in 5-gallon pails that have a spigot on them so that I can then dispense into gallon jugs to pour into feeders.  

Wouldn't seem like that many steps, but its (1) heat the water, (2) pour water into pails, (3) dump X-bags of sugar into pail and stir (x-depending on 1:1 or 2:1), (4) dispense into gallon jugs, (5) haul to apiary, (6) fill feeders.  then repeat a bunch of times.  Plus of course the buying and hauling of the sugar itself.

That is expensive sugar-wise and time-wise.

Bigger operations must do this on a bigger scale in a better way.

I have seen what look to be 55 gallon or bigger containers you could put in a truck that has a hose and motor to dispense the syrup directly into feeders, but that seems a little excessive (although not by a stretch).

So, for those with greater than 10 hives and the need to feed, how do you make it efficient and cost-effective?

Does anyone here use (god forbid) HFCS (I am not that resistant - I know, I know, it will cause bee cancer, bee diabetes, bee obesity and all that . . . so flame away  ;) I am wearing my flame retardant bee suit  :-D)?  What is your source if you do get HFCS?

[rdy-b]

the bee feed avalible-mostly is a Blend of sucrose and HFCS-the stuff i use is PRO SWEET from manlake
they will fill buckets or drums or what ever you have-the cost is actually cheaper than if i bought the sugar
and made it-you can go to Dadant in water town cant you? take five to ten buckets and get some feed-I drive a hour and half for a feed run-even if I go to a plant called sweetenerprouducts and buy straight sucrose-a litel time no mess to clean
buy the way when i make one to one i dont heat the watter no need to-(only two to one)twenty pound bag for five gallon bucket -just ad the sugar to the watter -not watter to sugar -mix with drill and paint mixer-or use a tank and pump the water through a couple of cycles-RDY-B

[BrentX]

One full timer I know keeps a 55 gallon drum with pump in the back of the truck.

[tandemrx]

Dadants in Watertown doesn't carry any liquid feed (unless you want a tanker full!).

What concentration sugar syrup does the Pro-Sweet compare to?

I see that it is about $40 per 5-gallon.

I think I can make 5g of 2:1 syrup for about $17 (about 30 lbs of sugar)

I have found a somewhat local source for some type of sugar syrup . . . but need to talk with the company for details on price/quantity/type.

Does anyone know what HFCS 55 relates to in terms of concentration of sugar syrup?  I know that it is about 25% water, but not sure how that is expressed.

[hardwood]

We use a 270g tote on the back of the flatbed. We mix the syrup with an extended plaster paddle and a 1/2" drill motor. A diaphragm (12v) pump pushes it through a gas pump style hose so we can fill feeders right at the hives.

Scott

[AllenF]

Call your local coke/pepsi bottler for HFCS.    And some of the bee supply house and larger bee outfits will fill you buckets and barrels with syrup. 

[rdy-b]

pro sweet 77-76.5% solids
moisture 22%
break down of solids
fructose21%
dextrose 28%sucrose 48%
melouse 1.5%
other sugars1.5%
ph 4.5-5.5
dont be fooled with the free shiping prices in the catolog for mannlake-I pay about 27 cents a pound -thats $18 for a five gallon bucket (of pro sweet)-
HFCS-55-is 55% solids and the problems with it are it will crystalize-and it dose not stimulate the queen-the pluses are it dose not ferment-and it is good winter feed for puting on whieght-I belive sucrose to be best but i accept the prosweet as good enough -but ithink you should try for atleast 65% solids if you can get it-RDY-B