New Hobby: Bee Keeping - Page 19

markem · 06-05-2018, 09:11 PM

Very nice. Glad that the bees are cooperating and that you have a good long summer ahead for them to build out the hive and prep for next winter.

icehog3 · 06-08-2018, 05:47 PM

MMM.....bee tongue.

sigsauer · 07-02-2018, 01:43 PM

this is my favorite thread....

massphatness · 07-04-2018, 07:37 AM

We're going to have HONEY!!

Grace and I have been peeking into the hive every ten days or so, and while we noticed a few more bees in the honey super, they didn't seem to be actually doing anything up there.

Until yesterday when we opened the hive and saw this ...

The girls were clearly hard at work in the honey box, and we were delighted to find they are steadily drawing out comb and filling it with liquid gold.

I find the honey making process to be fascinating. Basically the bees gather nectar and bring it back to the hive for processing by other bees. If I understand it correctly, these other bees mix the nectar with enzymes in their little bee bodies and then deposit the mixture into the comb. At this point, it's not yet honey. Instead, it's simply a very wet nectar syrup of sorts. The bees then fan the open comb with their wings until the water content gets down to around 17%. How do they know it's 17%? Well, back in the old days, it was a hassle for them to measure the humidity, but now there are any number of very accurate hygrometers that can be picked up on Amazon rather inexpensively.

I have no idea how they know, but they know. The wonder of nature and all. And now that the mixture has been evaporated down to 17% water content, voila - it's honey!

Once the bees get it to honey, they cap the comb with wax to keep it securely stored.
You can see they've started capping this frame.

Next step is for us to wait until they've filled and capped all the frames in the honey box, and then it's harvest time. No idea how long that will take, but boy would it be cool to have fresh honey for my herf later this month!

CigarNut · 07-04-2018, 08:26 AM

Very cool, Vin!

markem · 07-04-2018, 09:53 AM

Wow! Very cool and a great post. I think that I picked up on your excitement as I'm in "go bees, go!" mode right now.

icehog3 · 07-04-2018, 11:22 AM

That's awesome! Nice job, Honey!

Dave128 · 07-04-2018, 05:59 PM

Wicked cool!

massphatness · 07-09-2018, 07:53 PM

Almost there ...

About half my frames look like this:

Once the rest do -- maybe by this weekend? -- it's honey time!

markem · 07-09-2018, 07:54 PM

Very cool, Vin!

icehog3 · 07-09-2018, 09:24 PM

HONEY TIME!

CigarNut · 07-10-2018, 06:40 AM

Are you going to put the CA logo on your honey?

stearns · 07-10-2018, 07:40 AM

Lookin great Vin! If you want to trade some honey for some honey bbq sauce made with it you know who to call

BigAsh · 07-10-2018, 08:37 AM

Can't wait to smear it on my...#vinsherfnounderwear....

icehog3 · 07-10-2018, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigAsh

Can't wait to smear it on my...#vinsherfnounderwear....

massphatness · 07-14-2018, 10:22 AM

Fingers crossed for herf honey!! Looks like they just need to cap a couple frames, and we should be able to harvest this week!
Posted via Mobile Device

icehog3 · 07-15-2018, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by massphatness

Fingers crossed for herf honey!! Looks like they just need to cap a couple frames, and we should be able to harvest this week!
Posted via Mobile Device

Awesome, Vin! What's a few stings and a hoard of agitated bees compared to making your friends happy and honeyed.

sigsauer · 07-14-2018, 08:00 PM

this thread is awesome.....man I am jealous

massphatness · 07-18-2018, 08:07 PM

Grace and I removed the honey super this evening. I wish I had somebody taking video of the process because it went so much better than I could have imagined. The ladies were downright docile as we removed the frames and brushed them off.

Tomorrow Grace is taking the 10 frames to have the honey extracted and by tomorrow night we should have a butt load of honey. The box must weigh 40 or 50 pounds. Take away what little weight there is to the pine box plus the plastic frames, and I have to believe we have 30 to 40 pounds of actual honey.

Hoping that we can get some pictures of the extraction process. With the herf this weekend, I don’t know if I’ll be able to post much in the next few days, but I’ll get the thread updated as soon as I can.
Posted via Mobile Device

icehog3 · 07-19-2018, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by massphatness

I have to believe we have 30 to 40 pounds of actual honey.

OK, so after breakfast with me, you, Dom, Keith, Roger and Christos, there should be at least 2 or 3 pounds left?

06-05-2018, 09:11 PM	#1
markem Bunion Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Mark Location: Second Star on the Right Posts: 22,621 Trading: (47)	Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping Very nice. Glad that the bees are cooperating and that you have a good long summer ahead for them to build out the hive and prep for next winter.

06-08-2018, 05:47 PM	#2
icehog3 Admiral Douchebag Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Tom Location: Clermont, Kentucky Posts: 71,151 Trading: (60)	Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping MMM.....bee tongue. __________________ Thanks Dave, Julian, James, Kelly, Peter, Gerry, Dave, Mo, Frank, Týr and Mr. Mark!

07-02-2018, 01:43 PM	#3
sigsauer Have My Own Room Join Date: Dec 2008 First Name: Tom Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,369 Trading: (63)	Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping this is my favorite thread....

07-04-2018, 07:37 AM	#4
massphatness Where's my buffaloooo ... Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Vin Location: MassHolia Posts: 12,690 Trading: (206)	Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping We're going to have HONEY!! Grace and I have been peeking into the hive every ten days or so, and while we noticed a few more bees in the honey super, they didn't seem to be actually doing anything up there. Until yesterday when we opened the hive and saw this ... The girls were clearly hard at work in the honey box, and we were delighted to find they are steadily drawing out comb and filling it with liquid gold. I find the honey making process to be fascinating. Basically the bees gather nectar and bring it back to the hive for processing by other bees. If I understand it correctly, these other bees mix the nectar with enzymes in their little bee bodies and then deposit the mixture into the comb. At this point, it's not yet honey. Instead, it's simply a very wet nectar syrup of sorts. The bees then fan the open comb with their wings until the water content gets down to around 17%. How do they know it's 17%? Well, back in the old days, it was a hassle for them to measure the humidity, but now there are any number of very accurate hygrometers that can be picked up on Amazon rather inexpensively. I have no idea how they know, but they know. The wonder of nature and all. And now that the mixture has been evaporated down to 17% water content, voila - it's honey! Once the bees get it to honey, they cap the comb with wax to keep it securely stored. You can see they've started capping this frame. Next step is for us to wait until they've filled and capped all the frames in the honey box, and then it's harvest time. No idea how long that will take, but boy would it be cool to have fresh honey for my herf later this month! __________________ *Help Support The Navy SEAL Foundation: HERE*

07-04-2018, 08:26 AM	#5
CigarNut Fck Cancer! Join Date: Jan 2009 First Name: Michael Location: Clermont, Florida Posts: 18,042 Trading: (111*)	Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping Very cool, Vin! __________________ Need Beads? Need Five Finger Bags? 2 of 3 Requirements for use of the CA Rolodex: 100 posts/ 60 day membership/ participation in trade (trader rating). New members can be added at any time.

07-04-2018, 09:53 AM	#6
markem Bunion Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Mark Location: Second Star on the Right Posts: 22,621 Trading: (47)	Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping Wow! Very cool and a great post. I think that I picked up on your excitement as I'm in "go bees, go!" mode right now.

07-04-2018, 11:22 AM	#7
icehog3 Admiral Douchebag Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Tom Location: Clermont, Kentucky Posts: 71,151 Trading: (60)	Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping That's awesome! Nice job, Honey! __________________ Thanks Dave, Julian, James, Kelly, Peter, Gerry, Dave, Mo, Frank, Týr and Mr. Mark! Last edited by icehog3; 07-05-2018 at 11:19 AM.

07-04-2018, 05:59 PM	#8
Dave128 Sexy Dave Join Date: Feb 2009 First Name: Dave Location: Voorheesville, NY Posts: 3,920 Trading: (4)	Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping Wicked cool! __________________ "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy." - Benjamin Franklin I "heart" Boobies and Beer!

07-09-2018, 07:53 PM	#9
massphatness Where's my buffaloooo ... Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Vin Location: MassHolia Posts: 12,690 Trading: (206)	Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping Almost there ... About half my frames look like this: Once the rest do -- maybe by this weekend? -- it's honey time! __________________ *Help Support The Navy SEAL Foundation: HERE*

07-09-2018, 07:54 PM	#10
markem Bunion Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Mark Location: Second Star on the Right Posts: 22,621 Trading: (47)	Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping Very cool, Vin!

07-09-2018, 09:24 PM	#11
icehog3 Admiral Douchebag Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Tom Location: Clermont, Kentucky Posts: 71,151 Trading: (60)	Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping HONEY TIME! __________________ Thanks Dave, Julian, James, Kelly, Peter, Gerry, Dave, Mo, Frank, Týr and Mr. Mark!

07-10-2018, 06:40 AM	#12
CigarNut Fck Cancer! Join Date: Jan 2009 First Name: Michael Location: Clermont, Florida Posts: 18,042 Trading: (111*)	Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping Are you going to put the CA logo on your honey? __________________ Need Beads? Need Five Finger Bags? 2 of 3 Requirements for use of the CA Rolodex: 100 posts/ 60 day membership/ participation in trade (trader rating). New members can be added at any time.

07-10-2018, 07:40 AM	#13
stearns Dogbert Consultant Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Ben Location: Park Hill Posts: 5,378 Trading: (50)	Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping Lookin great Vin! If you want to trade some honey for some honey bbq sauce made with it you know who to call __________________ "Ignoring all the racket of conventional reality" - Keller Williams

07-10-2018, 08:37 AM	#14
BigAsh Don't knock the Ash... Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Keith Location: Yardley, PA Posts: 5,046 Trading: (46)	Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping Can't wait to smear it on my...#vinsherfnounderwear.... __________________ Keith

07-14-2018, 10:22 AM	#16
massphatness Where's my buffaloooo ... Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Vin Location: MassHolia Posts: 12,690 Trading: (206)	Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping Fingers crossed for herf honey!! Looks like they just need to cap a couple frames, and we should be able to harvest this week! Posted via Mobile Device

07-14-2018, 08:00 PM	#18
sigsauer Have My Own Room Join Date: Dec 2008 First Name: Tom Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,369 Trading: (63)	Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping this thread is awesome.....man I am jealous

07-18-2018, 08:07 PM	#19
massphatness Where's my buffaloooo ... Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Vin Location: MassHolia Posts: 12,690 Trading: (206)	Re: New Hobby: Bee Keeping Grace and I removed the honey super this evening. I wish I had somebody taking video of the process because it went so much better than I could have imagined. The ladies were downright docile as we removed the frames and brushed them off. Tomorrow Grace is taking the 10 frames to have the honey extracted and by tomorrow night we should have a butt load of honey. The box must weigh 40 or 50 pounds. Take away what little weight there is to the pine box plus the plastic frames, and I have to believe we have 30 to 40 pounds of actual honey. Hoping that we can get some pictures of the extraction process. With the herf this weekend, I don’t know if I’ll be able to post much in the next few days, but I’ll get the thread updated as soon as I can. Posted via Mobile Device