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Author Topic: Today I harvested my first full frame (for the Govt) pics. .  (Read 4131 times)

Offline mick

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Today I harvested my first full frame (for the Govt) pics. .
« on: April 17, 2006, 02:44:42 am »
Well today is nice and warm , 20C after a few days of 10C so I decided to open up and get the honey for the Government.

6 of the 8 frames were chock full of honey, mostly capped and the rest drying of or being capped.

The other 2 frames on the sunnyside of the hive one had one side of the frame full and capped with the other side half ready for more honey. The last frame hadnt really been touched, but there was an inch or so of drawn foundation on it.

Its not the neatest hive as some of the comb isnt near text book stuff, but I didnt see a single bug, beetle or moth while I was at it. I didnt see anything other than honey in the second box. Interestingly I notice 3 cels n all on the frame I took of what must be propylis, tastes like it. Would they be storing some of it for medicinal reasons or for use later on if that frame needs it for some reason?

One frame had some double story comb going on on one side. I guess due to too much space. It was the second heaviest frame and ready to go so I pinched it on behalf of the Victorian Government for testing by the lab as mentioned in previous post.

I replaced that with a frame with foundation. So theres now an empty frame right in the middle. Im thinking I should have put it on the outside and put a partly filled frame in the empty spacce instead? lemme know I can always fix things up tomorow.

Now the good part, the frame I took weigedt 3.5kg or 11 POUNDS, wow I dont kow how that goes on the standard for a frame but Im mighty impressed with those guys efforts. That new super was on there 6 weeks I reckon. So thats 6 frames @ say 10 pounds each for 60 pounds in 6 weeks plus they probably have half  that in the box below, as most of those frames are full of all of the things necessary including about 50% honey.

Wow so lets say my bees have made 100 pounds of honey or 45.5 kg. Honey sells for close enough to $10 a kg for the cheap stuff, so my bees have made me $450.00 if I killed em all tomorrow and sold it all. WOW I cant believe it. Lets be generous and say 30kg WOW $300 bucks.

This means I will have paid for all of my expenses so far about $200.00 I spose, when I can sell 3 or so frames worth. WOW.

I didnt know how heavy the frames were going to get, I kept thinking they were stuck but it was the weight of them alone. Id never lifted a full frame out before. NOW I understand what hard work it must be looking after a few hundred hives.

Im so amazed at how quickly they work, I have so much respect for bees now!! I will have to keep an eye on them, if its a mild winter they might need more room, making 3 boxes in all.


One frame full                                  another being capped

the strange double layered frame I took, close up of one of the access tunnels to the second story.

Oh whoopee im now a real beekeeper (in my eyes). My bees are happy and I have honey in less than 12 months. Its been pretty simple tho I know being ignorant is being happy lol.

Many thanks to everyone in here for helping me get started and feeding my intererest. I couldnt have done it without you.

If I can do it, anyone can. Where I live theres simply no reason why you cant do this yourself. Never buying honey agaaaaaaaaaain!

Now I just have to figure how to get it out of the frame. I guess I can drip the Governments 125ml into the beaker by cutting in some. Thats clean honey in my book.

Offline Michael Bush

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Today I harvested my first full frame (for the Govt) pics. .
« Reply #1 on: April 17, 2006, 07:56:40 am »
At first I thought the darker caps in the middle of the second picture were brood, but your close up shows it's not.  You can't see the texture of the cappings very well in a picture.

You can crush the honey comb into a seive (strainer, collander, or whatever you call it there in Oz) and let it drain.  Or, if you wish to set up for more harvest later you can make a double bucket strainer:

http://www.bushfarms.com/beesharvest.htm
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
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Offline mick

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Today I harvested my first full frame (for the Govt) pics. .
« Reply #2 on: April 18, 2006, 04:20:57 am »
Thanks for the input Michael. I will do some research on crushing and straining, as well as some on making a powered extractor. Im thinking these things can be made from scrap, and some of the ones Ive seen selling for $450.00 are not more than that!

Can you tell me, should I have placed that empty undrawn frame where the full one was or moved them all along one space and placed it at the end?

Offline Finsky

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Re: Today I harvested my first full frame (for the Govt) pic
« Reply #3 on: April 18, 2006, 04:53:26 am »
Quote from: mick

6 of the 8 frames were chock full of honey, mostly capped and the rest drying of or being capped.


You should keep eye on free space for brood and honey. If you have one capped box. you should have another box where bees put nectar to rippen. Otherwise bees use brood area for store and bees will swarm.

Offline Michael Bush

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Today I harvested my first full frame (for the Govt) pics. .
« Reply #4 on: April 18, 2006, 08:35:33 am »
Always keep the boxes full of frames.  If you leave one out they will put a comb there hanging from whatever is overhead.  That frame can have foundation or some kind of comb guide or be between two CAPPED combs of honey or between two combs of brood.

I'm guessing, since you're in Australia, that reproductive swarm season is over.  If that's the case then you can probably prevent swarming by keeping enough supers on.  Make sure they always have an empty box during a flow.  If you have empty drawn comb, make sure they ahve several empty boxes during a flow.
My website:  bushfarms.com/bees.htm en espanol: bushfarms.com/es_bees.htm  auf deutsche: bushfarms.com/de_bees.htm  em portugues:  bushfarms.com/pt_bees.htm
My book:  ThePracticalBeekeeper.com
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Offline Jerrymac

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:rainbowflower:  Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.   :rainbowflower:

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Offline Yarra_Valley

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Today I harvested my first full frame (for the Govt) pics. .
« Reply #6 on: April 18, 2006, 07:03:34 pm »
Hi there Mick, very happy to see everything is going well for you. About those picks, is the close up shown part of the frame above that picture? Just that it looks like brood.

Hey have you got cable/broadband?

James :)
Careful, my pets can smell your hives. 8)

Offline mick

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Today I harvested my first full frame (for the Govt) pics. .
« Reply #7 on: April 19, 2006, 04:29:55 am »
Thanks guys, it seems Im doing OK.

Bottom box all 8 frames full of honey and brood. Classic patterns on the frames. (good bees).

Top box has now 5 frames full and the other 3, one empty and two partly worked. I will keep an eye on em and add a quen excluder and another super on top if required.

Yes Michael, winter is here and going by the amount of work thats been done, I added the second super not a minute to spare I reckon. Im glad putting the undrawn foundation between two full capped frames was the right thing to do.

Finsky, yes I remembered your advice when I added the second one. No more room = bees swarming. Pretty logical I think.

Jerrymac, that bicycle extractor was the first one I found googling. Looks pretty interesting until its time to put the frames in I think.

james my broadband has been used up until the end of the month (me bad boy) so I had to resize the pipcs to buggery. I really checked all of the frames in the top box for brood with my eye and took the pics and all I could find was some really dark honey, no brood. They all kickin back in the bottom box.

I did a count the other day and I was getting well over 60 a minute flying in and out. Thats 60,000+ in the hive if the old theory is true. Therefore I think they need 2 supers for (eventually) brood so I will let the 2 boxes alone nand have them as the two chambers and play with the third when its needed.

Offline Yarra_Valley

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Interactive maps
« Reply #8 on: April 19, 2006, 07:13:49 am »
Well when your broadband is going full speed again, you might like to have a play with the interactive maps over at dse.

Here's a link:

http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/DSE/dsencor.nsf/LinkView/836EE128E54D861FCA256DA200208B945FD09CE028D6AA58CA256DAC0029FA1A

You can use them to look at the Eucalypt species in various areas and such. I'll will be adding that link to all the other useful Australian bee resources I've found when I publish it in the reprint article archive at some point, when I'm feeling a little less lazy.

Bye for now,
James.
Careful, my pets can smell your hives. 8)

Offline mick

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Today I harvested my first full frame (for the Govt) pics. .
« Reply #9 on: April 20, 2006, 04:22:22 am »
Thats a good looking link, youre right tho, need to wait till the 1st to use it.

Offline Finsky

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Today I harvested my first full frame (for the Govt) pics. .
« Reply #10 on: April 20, 2006, 04:37:27 am »
When you think seriously you honey business, I should buy a good extractor.  There is 2 important thing:

Basket must be very ridig that combs does not bend. They will be broken.

System must be tight that aroma does not escape from extractor. You understand that honey comes out as fine droplets and hard "wind" ventilate best aromas away.  I had my my first extractor home made and it was real "aroma escaper".

You have succeed quite well. With that knowledge it is easy to take more hives and earn money.  It is easier to nurse 5 hives than 2 hives. You have playing cards more.  2 hives are difficult to keep in good condition. Everything may happen.

 

anything