Runny honey

[Terri]

OK, here's the problem.

I started 2 hives this spring. I had a super on one hive, and there was quite a bit of bur comb on it, mostly capped.

Fine. I cleaned up the bur comb over a large bowl, catching about three cups of honey. (Starter strips will NOT work for this hive!

Trouble is, what LOOKED like empty bur comb actually had quite a bit of nectar in it, and I took off a nice, long strip of it before I saw it. It was VERY pale, while the capped honey was not.

So, I now have a good-sized bowl of honey that is not condensed enough. Can this be fixed, or should I just take out enough to last us a couple of weeks and feed the rest back to the bees? Perhaps take out a cup at a time and freeze the rest? It has a very nice, rich complex flavor. I could easily use it for the household.....if only it does not spoil!

[Michael Bush]

Well, if it ferments you'll taste it. Meanwhile it's sweet. If you leave it in the open bowl long enough and it doesn't ferment it will end up dry enough.

I have the best luck by bating up with on fully drawn comb into a super of starter strips. Otherwise they tend to start on the bottom bar and try to build up. It helps if it's a frame of brood, but any fully drawn frame helps a lot. Also crowd the frames together in the middle.

[Terri]

Ah. I used foundation and a few starter strips. They drew the strips, but they weren't straigh, and one bit was 3"wide!