extraction

[sean]

Did my final extraction(of 5) for the year, got about 32 gallons. This makes a total of just about 100 gallons for my 1st year. I need to refine the entire extaction process as currently it takes roughly all day. I know i need at least one more person to help uncap there are only 2 of us at the moment. One uncaps and the other loads and unloads the extractor

[asprince]

sean, that is GREAT! I did not get any honey this year. 50% of my problems this year was drought related, the other 50% was poor management on my part.  I am looking forward to next year.

Good luck, Steve

[johnnybigfish]

Hi Sean!
 How many hives do you have?
 I only got honey from 2 of 3 hives(thats all I had this spring/summer).
Once I only extracted 2 frames. Next time I did 8 frames. I just poured it from the extractor, through cheesecloth,then into to my orange pails. from the pails i put it into jars. I got a mess of honey but it was under a hundred lbs.Both times I extracted it took me about an hour to an hour and a half not counting cleaning up the honey off of everything.I have a buddy who helps me too.
 I was just thinking that you must have a lot of hives to make it an all day affair, is that right? (I'm trying to tell by your experience how much time I will be taking when I get more hives).
your friend,
john

[LocustHoney]

Reading bout all these people extracting makes me itchy for spring!!! Congats on all the honey. Can't wait for my first major honey.

[johnnybigfish]

Hi Locusthoney!
 I've been wondering about your avatar. Am I just looking at it wrong or does the bee boxes start at the level of your head? If it IS this tall how do you get up there to move your honey supers around?
your friend,
john

[sean]

Hi Sean!
 How many hives do you have?
 I only got honey from 2 of 3 hives(thats all I had this spring/summer).
Once I only extracted 2 frames. Next time I did 8 frames. I just poured it from the extractor, through cheesecloth,then into to my orange pails. from the pails i put it into jars. I got a mess of honey but it was under a hundred lbs.Both times I extracted it took me about an hour to an hour and a half not counting cleaning up the honey off of everything.I have a buddy who helps me too.
 I was just thinking that you must have a lot of hives to make it an all day affair, is that right? (I'm trying to tell by your experience how much time I will be taking when I get more hives).
your friend,
john

i got from 10 of 32 hives, approximately 14 boxes. the others were either too small or there was open brood &/or eggs in the frames. it is actually taking me less time now than it used to and i figure if i can get 2 or 3 people uncapping i will go a lot faster but alas they are all afraid. You see, at the moment i extract out in the open and there are 3 hives about 30 yards away I dont need to tell you what happens when the spies.. err scouts go back to the hives

[Cindi]

Sean, trying to read through the lines.  Am I getting this right?  This was your first year of beekeeping?  With 32 hives?

Holy smokes, if this is so, I take my hat off to you.  I know there are other forum friends that have astounded me too, ones that started out with quite a number of hives in their first year of beekeeping.  Nothing like jumping right into the fire, feet first, yea!!!!  It shocks me and leaves me with wondering why I am I so whimpy, been keeping bees for almost 3 years and I find that 9 colonies is a handfull.  Oh well, some things work for some, others it may work for (like me), I may increase my hives this year.  I didn't think I would want more than 10, but I think I could handle a few more now, hee, hee.

Excellent Sean, you got a great amount of honey, fantastic, and good for you!!!  Have a wonderful day, beautiful day.  Cindi

[LocustHoney]

JBF---Those are my kids. The pic you are looking at shows one of my first two hives and we had put a deep on it so the bees would fill it up with eggs, larvae, honey, propolis, etc... Then all we did was take the box off the top and put it on a bottom board and put the ineer cover on and so forth. Then two hives became 4. The pic doesn't show the lay of the ground there either. If they were to stand behind the hive it would look a little more proportional. The land drops quite a bit from the back of the hive to the front. I get asked that question ALL the time.

[sean]

Cindi yep 1st year. Started off with 20 in october last year and have a total of 43 now. i actually got my bees after a 3hr introduction to bee keeping (theory and being shown queen,workers and drone) have learnt everything else from my extention officer, you guys(kudos) and by talking to other beeks here

[johnnybigfish]

Harr harrr harrr!!!! I NEVER even considered kids in the Picture!! My wife gonna crack up when she reads this!!(After she slaps me on the back of the head)!
 And 32 hives does explain all the time it takes you!
Its funny how hard it is to tell whos' under a veil, huh? Kinda like "Wilson"!
Ok, keep at it!
your friend,
john

[Cindi]

Sean, well all I can say to you is that you are amazing, and yep, keep up the good and hard work.  You're doin' great.  Best of this great day.  Cindi