First Honey Harvest!

[thistlebloom]

Nice, Joan! What a wonderful thing that is to get a share of honey from your own hive. Great photos too.

When I was just a young thing I helped a boyfriend harvest his honey. I remember the way the wax smelled as we cut it off the comb, and the honey spinning out of the frames in the extractor.

Yeah, nothing quite as romantic as a honey harvest....

 

[Carol Dee]

This is our 1st year with bees. We are still learning That sure looks good. How many hives do you have?

 

[bj taylor]

so beautiful. i'm too jealous! what a bountiful harvest.

 

[StonyGarden]

Beautiful!! I want bees so I have some of that beautiful honey.

 

[Southern Gardener]

This is our 1st year with bees. We are still learning That sure looks good. How many hives do you have?

Carol, I have two hives. This honey was from just one. I did a split on my strong hive in the spring and the new hive didn't have enough honey to harvest. I'm working on getting my weak one strong. I just received two more deep boxes yesterday and will put one on each hive for more brood.

 

[Carol Dee]

Thanks for the information. DH just started a 2nd hive. And visiting with an old bee keeper he told DH we could take honey this year. I sure hope ours looks as good. I will show DH your set up. (I think he wants to try to make his own extractor.)

 

[bj taylor]

you beeks, how do you make sure your hive is not Africanized? what are the signs the hive has become Africanized (apart from them stinging me to death, that is)?

 

[Carol Dee]

you beeks, how do you make sure your hive is not Africanized? what are the signs the hive has become Africanized (apart from them stinging me to death, that is)?

Someone else may be able to answer this better. And DH is not home to ask. I think there are 2 or 3 strains od domestic bees. Carnolian (sp?) and Russian are the two I can think of. African are just plain onry and mean. As far as I know they do not take over an eslablished hive. Do a Google Search for bee types. They are amazing and once you know what to look for you will recognize the different types. Also worker, drone and queen are each unique. (I am learning!)

 

[Southern Gardener]

I haven't heard of African bees taking over an established hive either, although I'm not the one to ask as I am also new to beekeeping!

Carol, I've been looking on the internet on how to make your own extractor. I'm not really sure I'd be able to do it and there is one on the Mann Lake site that I REALLY want! Think I'll just save up and buy the kit. The one in the picture belongs to a friend of a friend.

 

[MontyJ]

That looks so nice! It makes me want to get bees even more.