Sugar syrup VS. HFCS

[The Honey Householder]

Do you add water to thin it down for the packages?

My pumps in the shop take it straight, no water. Most of the HFCS get sprayed into the combs. I heat it to 150 deg. and use 120 psi on the sprayer. Fills the combs full quick. Spray in 2 1/2 to 3 gal. per brood box.

[MTINAZ]

[QUOTE=. Most of the HFCS get sprayed into the combs. I heat it to 150 deg. and use 120 psi on the sprayer. Fills the combs full quick. Spray in 2 1/2 to 3 gal. per brood box.[/QUOTE]

What kind of sprayer do you use? Is it like a paint sprayer that hooks to your compressor?

[The Honey Householder]

Custom build 30 gal. sprayer. The tank is build out of 1/4" steel. Fruit spray on steroids.

[G B]

Not very much for flowers yet, got somw rain a few days ago, should help. Take care GB

[boknows honey bee's]

Sorry for not at this point not knowing what HFCS is but could some one please tell me what it stands for. Bo:

[Barry]

http://www.beesource.com/resources/e...ping-glossary/

[Keith Jarrett]

Hey Bo, are you sure you know bee's?

[MTINAZ]

I found a supplier. Crocketts Honey sells it for 35 cents/lb.

[hpm08161947]

That sounds high... hope that is not indicative of a big price increase over the winter.

[Pyrotechnician]

5 gallon bucket of corn syrup at the Amish store for $35, good deal? Actually the only deal I can find on it around here so it good to me...

[hpm08161947]

I believe that is over .50 per pound... at that price it would be cheaper to dissolve 30 pounds of sugar in a 5 gall bucket. Looks like they are marking that HFCS up too high. We pay about .20 per pound for HFCS, but that is bulk. On a small scale it looks to be cheaper (perhaps better for the bees) to stick to sugar.

[wabeeman]

Here's why I switched back to sugar only from HFCS.
http://www.beeculture.com/storycms/i...y&recordID=686

As I said in an earlier post, anecdotaly the girls seem healthier. They certainly take the sugar more readily than the HFCS. As far as price, don't forget you're paying for a lot of water along with the HFCS. Mostly, IMHO, I simply don't like the implications of the above article. Also, when I picked up pkgs at Parks last year I noticed he had pallets and pallets of sugar. Never got a chance to ask about it but he seems a pretty frugal guy. I'm guessin' if he's using it there's a very good reason...more than JUST $$$. Or maybe it's entirely $$$? Maybe he's had better results with sugar too so it ends up being cheaper in the long run?

[Sundance]

For me sugar is cheaper

[hpm08161947]

Sundance... in your area what can you buy a lb of sugar for?

[Sundance]

Last I bought was 11 cents a pound, but that
was 3 years ago and it was a 2000 pound tote bag.

But I am near the Red River Valley and major sugar
production.

[hpm08161947]

At .11 per pound... I see your point! The best we can do around here... even in bulk... is .50 per pound.. then throw in the labor of dissolving a ton or so of it in totes and.. well you can see why we use HFCS.

[loggermike]

>at Parks last year I noticed he had pallets and pallets of sugar.

Probably Drivert. I know they buy it by the truckload. I buy granulated by the pallet (2500 lbs) and too many times a season!. I don't get any good deal on it from costco, but its convenient when I need it. I wonder what a 1/2 tanker of liquid sugar is going for now? I do know sugar prices are bouncing all over the place. Mostly up.

[StevenG]

Last week at a local Sam's Club, 50# bag of sugar was 62 cents a pound.
Regards,
Steven

[FarmerJ]

Last week at a local Sam's Club, 50# bag of sugar was 62 cents a pound.
Regards,
Steven

Just picked up a 50lb bag today for $26.29 at Sam's. Still think I shoulda picked up 3-4 today.

[Kingfisher Apiaries]

Not going to comment on what i pay for HFCS 55, but it is much less than buying sugar, my time, and a sticky porch/kitchen. I drive a little less than a hour, syrup goes in the barrel, then i am done for the day. I do make some sugar syrup for mixing in with the corn syrup, man talk about booming colonies when on this mix. I think the sugar and corn syrup both have different sugars, so a combo gives a good mix of what they need.
Mike