View Full Version : Mobile Honey House
magnet-man
11-02-2006, 04:51 PM
Do we have anyone with a mobile honey house? If so, I would like to hear details and costs.
power napper
11-02-2006, 05:52 PM
magnet man-I have thought about that myself but never went any further than thought. Used mini bus would work for small mobiie honey house even a winebago or delivery van. It would be nice to be able to take the "honey factory" right to the beekeeper. I have a twenty one foot camper frame that is just sitting in my field above the bee yard, glanced at the prospect of using it for a honey house or to haul hives and let at location until either polination or honey crop is completed. Dream, dream and dream some more! Sorry but I can't help you out on costs or details though. I do think it is a good idea.
sierrabees
11-02-2006, 06:06 PM
I have a 32 foot house trailor sitting by the barn that hasn't been used in years. I plan to gut it out this winter and set up a honey house. Even though I don't intend to haul it around it will put a piece of yard art back into action. It has electricity, septic system, heater, water heater, everything I need.
power napper
11-02-2006, 08:02 PM
sierrabees- does the refrigerator,stove, furnace, air conditioner and shower all work--you have it made. Make sure that you provide us with pictures of the progress!
Sundance
11-02-2006, 08:59 PM
What would be the purpose of the mobile
honey house other than for migratory
purposed??
magnet-man
11-03-2006, 03:12 AM
Q. What would be the purpose of the mobile
honey house other than for migratory
purposed??
A . I don't have a location where I can build a permant one but have a place where I can store a trailer at no cost.
There is also a farmers market where my son wants to sell honey but it has to be bottled in a certified honey house. Tulsa does not allow any commercial food production from the home kitchen.
It also lets me rent it out to help offset the cost.
tecumseh
11-03-2006, 04:40 AM
someone (one of those california bee keepers) had a honey house set up in what sounded like a dry van. they had it for sale... so perhaps you might wish to check in the for sale section.
the first time I heard of the idea of mobile honey extraction was like 30+ years ago.. there was a real innovative force on the west coast by the name of Powers. at the time he was the largest beekeeper in the us of a... if the olde memory chip hasn't failed he was one of the original partners in the Kona queen rearing operation.
power napper
11-03-2006, 07:01 AM
Another advantage to consider is that in Pennsylvania the mobile honey house would not be taxed as a permanent building --every little bit helps. smile.gif
honeyman46408
11-03-2006, 08:30 AM
I know a guy that has one built in an old Refer trailer but he doesnt move it and he has Health Dept. aprovel.
I am not sure about taxes in Indiana but that is another idea.
magnet-man
11-03-2006, 04:22 PM
I know a guy that has one built in an old Refer trailerI work for a refrigerated trucking company. We have lots of old refers. ;)
I occasionally see these food trailers that you see at fairs for sale and cheap. That may be the solution.
[ November 03, 2006, 05:25 PM: Message edited by: magnet-man ]
sqkcrk
11-03-2006, 06:22 PM
I met some guys from Guatemala who used a Panel Van, you know, like a UPS truck.
They would go to each apiary and extract the honey during the flow. There was a hole in the side of the truck where a super was slid into the van and then slid back out after extracting.
My Extractor was used in a screened wagon about as mobile as you can get.
sierrabees
11-04-2006, 09:54 PM
I just checked out the trailer by my barn. Need to make some minor repairs on the propane line but everything works except the refrigerator. I just might turn that into an incubator. I'll have to rip out a bunch of carpet and replace it with washable floor covering. When I get rid of the mattress in the bedroom it will leave a flat platform about 14 inches high which will be perfect for the uncapping tank, extractor, and storage tanks. There will still be room for about four stacks of honey supers on the same space with just enuough space around the edges to move all around or place catch buckets. There is a folding door between the bedroom and the rest of the trailer so I could put a space heater in and make it a hot room. I can use all that cabinet space pretty much as it is rather than rip it out. The front part with it's little fold down table should make a good grafting space/office/storage. I can't wait for things to slow down enough for me to get this project rolling.
The down side will be getting all those heavy supers from the single door down a narrow hallway to the extracting/hot room. Might need to put in a skylight and crane and drop them in from above.(Just kidding about that although the idea does have it's appeal.)
power napper
11-05-2006, 07:45 AM
sierra--please take lots of pictures for us to ooooh and ahhhh over! ;)
Fernhill
11-06-2006, 05:17 AM
We had a guest speaker at one of our meetings who has a fleet of used ambulances he uses as his mobile honey houses. Wide opening rear doors, plenty of electricity, climate control, floodlights, etc. The one we toured was a sight to behold.
Mike