Honey harvest

[JohnK and Sheri]

John took some pictures while the extracting crew were on break today, I'd thought I'd share.
Our operation isn't the most modern, but we get her done.
Sheri

http://inlinethumb30.webshots.com/6621/2499474810048587895S600x600Q85.jpg (http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2499474810048587895VpwAGr)


http://inlinethumb32.webshots.com/5407/2076194030048587895S600x600Q85.jpg (http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2076194030048587895QuaceK)

Click on the beeyard below to see a few more from today.
http://thumb15.webshots.net/t/52/452/6/11/6/2005611060048587895sEXEUi_th.jpg (http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/560116597GimpWu)

[RonS]

Great pictures. Thanks.

[Dan Williamson]

Great pics Sheri. Thanks for sharing. I always like to see how others have their set-ups.

2 Questions:

1. Are you running 8 or 9 frames to the super? I have an older Cowen model and 9 frames to the super just seems to leave too much hand uncapping. It works alot better with 8 frame supers. What about with your model?

2. How do you handle the cappings in that tank? Does it melt the cappings or do you shovel them out? If so how do you handle them when you get them out?

Thanks.

[JohnK and Sheri]

Hi Dan
We run 8 frames to the super too. We replaced our early Cowen uncapping head with a new Cowen 5-6 years ago. (We added the deboxer then too, which is a marvelous back saver.) You can adjust the uncapping knives but too close and the cappings tank will overflow before the day is done. We have a gal (a little tyrant in the extracting room :) ) that checks the frames after they go through the uncapper and hand uncaps anything that needs it. We don't like it if the uncapper knives are too close because we get too much wax, (and too much honey in the cappings tank) but she likes it because she doesn't have too much to scratch. If the knives are too far apart she runs herself into the ground with too much hand scratching and we sure hear about that. It is a fine line sometimes, lol.

Wax cappings, what a pain they are! Until a few years ago we used a little melter which we had outgrown years earlier. That thankfully finally bit the dust. We replaced it with a Cowen 1 barrel melter and it was a big step up but right away we knew we should have gotten the larger one, it is too slow, doing only 1 drum every 36 hours or so. And it is messy! Anyway, the tank in the picture is new this year. Before, after the cappings had settled overnight in the cappings tank they would be shoveled into drums to be melted later in the winter. We ended up with a lot of honey getting cooked in the melter, too much melter honey, which brings a lower price. This year the cappings get shoveled into the tank in the picture after draining overnight, where they drain a bit more before going into the drums for melting later. It saves a bunch of honey but also provides a bunch more exersize than John or any of the guys want. It is a cobbled solution which could be solved by adding a spinner to the operation but where would be put it? And there are problems with spinners too so since one of these years we will be cutting back our numbers we will probably just tough it out instead of investing the additional bucks.
Sheri

[Dan Williamson]

Thanks Sheri... I appreciate the info. I always like hearing how others do it.

I don't have alot of hives but the more I get the more I start thinking about how to handle these things in the future.

[Keith Jarrett]

Sheri, nice pics

Have you ever considerd a spin-float by cook & Beal?

They do a good job with the wax.

Sure wished I had that problem. LOL dry as a bone here.

Keith

[Madison68]

Very nice, I hope to get to that level of production some day. How many #'s per hive do you average? Thanks for the pics, Madison....

[Jeffzhear]

Sherri, thanks for sharing your pictures. It's nice to see what others are using in the way of equipment and the layout.

[JohnK and Sheri]

Have you ever considerd a spin-float by cook & Beal? They do a good job with the wax.Keith
Considered, dreamed, hoped, and finally decided that it just wasn't worth spending the money this late in the game. We would have to remodel the honey house, more money, plus the auger, more money, sigh. We would like to retire one of these years. Before almonds we were considering cutting back, not buying. Greed is a terrible thing.:)

Sure wished I had that problem. LOL dry as a bone here.Keith
No complaining!, you are in full bloom out there when we are still under two feet of snow here:D.


Very nice, I hope to get to that level of production some day. How many #'s per hive do you average? Thanks for the pics, Madison....
I will ask John what he thinks we average. I know there can be a BIG difference from year to year. Last year we hardly got a fall crop at all, that is usually 1/3 of our annual harvest so that really shoots the average. We are hoping this year is better/excellent.
I can tell you they are taking 2-3 (some have 4) full medium boxes off now and putting 2 back on, with fingers crossed.
I never know how to figure averages. They seem to change depending on how you figure. Do you use the number of colonies you start the year out with? The number you end up with? Do you count the new ones that are destined for California that you started small, not expecting a honey crop from them, but then you ended up having to put a box on cause they grew too fast?? HMMM. It is too complicated for my pea brain. :)
Sheri

[beenovice]

http://inlinethumb30.webshots.com/6621/2499474810048587895S600x600Q85.jpg (http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2499474810048587895VpwAGr)



This is SEXY :D

[greenbeekeeping]

Great pics Sheri. Also when you do decide to retire let us know.

Matt and Rachel