Just joined local Beekeeping Association

[tweak'e]

Organic beekeepers are true beekeepers!

absolutly ! i couldn't agree more.

You can use chems if you wish, I never said you couldn't. I have been into bees for over 4 years now. My bees live through winter, and I have little to no mites in my hives. I make splits and catch swarms to diversify my gene pool. I pay great attention to detail, that's why I'm successful. And my honey is clean!!!

sounds excellent.

however my point is that people need to learn how to walk before they can run. i find a lot are often they are more interested in being "green" rather than being interested in bees and they try to sprint a marathon before they have learnt to walk. end result lots of dead hives which is just not sustainable.
for eg i've lost count of the amount of people who have said "my hives don't have mites" then later on the hives are dead from varroa. (remember i'm in NZ so things are a bit different).

My dad is a hobbiest, and has 3 hives.
He has suggested to me that if I wanted I could have my own hives and use his gear. Only the farm is 200km distant (120 miles)

So my question is this: can I remove the combs, replace with empty frames and then take them up bush still sealed in wax (when it's convenient) and extract them then? (preferably when dad's processing a flow, to save set up and clean up time?

The only problem I can see with this, is temperature regulation. Without the bees to keep the honey warm, it may crystalise.
I have NFI about beekeeping. Is this a valid concern?
Does anybody else have any ideas?

how long will a comb full of honey store on the frame?

unless you have a quick crystallizing honey you can pull the honey off the hive, store it (so no other pests can get into it) and then extract later.
some people pull all their honey off during the season, store it, then extract over winter.

honey will crystallize in the frame just like it does in the jar. being in the hive makes little difference. we have some honey over here that crystallizes so rapidly we have to take the honey off the hive very quickly otherwise it sets and you can't get it out of the comb.

 

[randrick]

My dad is a hobbiest, and has 3 hives.
He has suggested to me that if I wanted I could have my own hives and use his gear. Only the farm is 200km distant (120 miles)

So my question is this: can I remove the combs, replace with empty frames and then take them up bush still sealed in wax (when it's convenient) and extract them then? (preferably when dad's processing a flow, to save set up and clean up time?

The only problem I can see with this, is temperature regulation. Without the bees to keep the honey warm, it may crystalise.
I have NFI about beekeeping. Is this a valid concern?
Does anybody else have any ideas?

how long will a comb full of honey store on the frame?

Still good honey has been found in the tombs of Egyptian pharohs! Both honey and beeswax are very, very stable. If the comb is capped (the bees covered the top with wax) it should keep for a long time. As for crystalizing, there are two main sugars in honey fructose and glucose. When the fructose to glucose ratio is high (think tupelo), the honey won't crystalize. Even if the honey does crystalize, you can warm the honey and the crystals will redisovle. What you're suggesting shoudl work. You may also want to consider extracting the honey form the frames on-site, then take the honey home in buckets. The bees with appreciate the empty comb. They'll fill it quickly.

 

[tweak'e]

i've never tried heating the honey to melting point while in the comb. not sure how you would go seperating the melted wax from the honey. of course rewaxing the combs would be a pain (unless useing plastic frames).

i know some people that extract on site but thats useing plastic frames and they scrap everthing off the frame, then seperate the wax from the honey later on.
not something i would do out side of honey flow ie robbing time.

 

[kudapucat]

Summarising.

OK, general consensus is I could store the frames for a few months, take them up bush to the extraction gear when dad's processing a flow then extract, and bring the buckets of honey home again to make mead?
Does this sound right?
This is my ideal solution. It means the least work for me.

 

[hillhousehoney]

Hello tweak'e

Yes, I am familiar with your beekeeping situation there. As you have explained, then I fully understand what you are saying and it makes sense. Thanks for explaining your position.
Timothy

 

[Tannin Boy]

that as well about mites. Some going chemical free still fight those little bugs. I have also introduced small cell (4.9) in my hives, and I really don't count mites anymore, but rather let them co-exist with the bees. It's good to hear about others going off chems. The honey does taste different. I did a talk for a local ladies group and gave them a sample right off the frames out of my hives. They became customers immediately. (That was my plan! Haha);D

Timothy

Tim,

Great to hear of your sales success's, that is the best way to make new customers too.... My bee keeper has also learned as I have found with
other chemical use that to continue the pests diet of the same chemicals
will only cause the pests to build up their immune systems to resist the constant use of the same chemical? Sounds like we are chasing our tails when using the stuff. I like your thoughts about keeping a neat house for your little guys and paying attention to their needs. I wish you the best of luck with your business for the future. We need more folks like you doing your best to insure the health and future of your bee's and the quality food supply that it brings to our tables!

Carl
P.S. What is your favorite type of honey and why do you prefer it?

 

[beeboy]

I'm not sure you should store the full frames of honey off of the hives. You are asking for wax moths to move in and destroy everything. You also need to watch out for small hive beetles, they will slime and trash the honey comb in about a week. The only safe way I know to store honey still if the frames is either on the hive or cold enough to keep out the pests. I lost a hive to SHB two years ago and it was ugly. Ask about wax moths and SHB at your club. Welcome to bee keeping it is a blast

 

[TDMooney]

I'm not sure you should store the full frames of honey off of the hives. You are asking for wax moths to move in and destroy everything. You also need to watch out for small hive beetles, they will slime and trash the honey comb in about a week. The only safe way I know to store honey still if the frames is either on the hive or cold enough to keep out the pests. I lost a hive to SHB two years ago and it was ugly. Ask about wax moths and SHB at your club. Welcome to bee keeping it is a blast

I have a blog about SHB and it has just about all the information you would need to know about them

 

[kudapucat]

Hmmm that's disappointing :-(
Guess I'll have to borrow the gear and do it the hard way :-(

Thanks for all your help and advice

 

[tweak'e]

just a mad thought.......got a big chest freezer? put them into the freezer. the cold deals to the wax moth and should keep out SHB (don't have it here so only guessing). however it may make the honey crystallize quick so it will depend on type of honey.

i know people who do that with the empty supers but not when full of honey.

 

[mmclean]

It's O.K. to freeze your honey. I've read lots of post on the beekeep forums where people do.

 

[wayneb]

It's O.K. to freeze your honey.

I'll tell my wife you said that. ;D

 

[TDMooney]

I will be keeping my hives at a local beekeepers farm next year and im hoping that she will let me keep my extractor at her house so that I can just harvest the honey there (after i buy the extractor of course) ... the farm is about 30 minutes away from my house and 45 minutes away from my college

 

[mmclean]

I'll tell my wife you said that. ;D