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?