[Daniel21]

Hello,
I just harvested some honey using the crush and strain method from some old brood comb that they filled with honey. The comb itself was drawn out on foundationless frames last year.
We are not selling any of it this year since we don't have a license yet. We were thinking of giving some of it away if it is clean enough.
Would honey that is harvested in this way be considered food grade if we had a license?
Thank you,
Daniel

 

[sqkcrk]

Not to me.
I take it you don't have an extractor?

 

[NasalSponge]

Hecks no!! :thumbsup:

 

[Aram]

Definitely not. Send it to me for proper disposal.
Don't know anything about licensing but I would have no worries about eating it if it's crushed and strained properly.
I only have top bar hives so I harvest all my honey by crush and strain and not all of it comes of white new comb. (That one gets harvested as cut comb.)
I'd worry more about whatever chem. treatments might have stuck to the wax than the fact that the honey once touched cocoons in the comb.
I'd like to hear more from people who wouldn't eat it, why not?

 

[Bsweet]

I would have no problem eating honey from MY hives brood comb as I know I have no treatment hives, and I would have no problem shareing with others. Jim

 

[Daniel21]

I was considering feeding it back to the bees after I read that first post, but now that I see that it is commonly done by some beekeepers I will feel more comfortable giving it to others.
I don't use any chemicals either, I am also using foundationless frames as well so there couldn't be any chemicals in the honey except for what the bees might have brought.
My only concern now is that there seems to be more pollen in this honey than if it were extracted. I tried to cut out the sections that had excessive stores of pollen but I am sure there was plenty that I missed. There isn't any pollen clumps left in the honey and I have strained it through very fine mesh netting. Is this a sufficient method to remove excess pollen? Do you think I should warn others about possible allergic reactions?
Thank you for your replies,
Daniel

 

[NasalSponge]

Today a lot of folks like having the pollen and bits of wax in it but if you are concerned, you can strain it thru a new pair of pantyhose and it will get most of it out.

OK...kinda tired. You will neverget all the pollen out without some heating and using a fine micron filter. I don't think ingesting pollen has the same effect as breathing it.

 

[mothergoosemagic]

People here are asking for honey specifically*because* of the pollen. Theory is that ingesting local pollen helps with seasonal allergies.

 

[honeybeekeeper]

Warn the others.....HAHAHAHAHA....:lpf: :lpf: :lpf:

 

[Aram]

"Today a lot of folks like having the pollen and bits of wax in it but if you are concerned, you can strain it thru a new pair of pantyhose and it will get most of it out. "
Same here. Most people I know value it because of the no chems., no heating, and the subtle pollen taste. Panty hose (new pair as NasalSponge says ) will get it really clear. No chunks, If it's really warm when you strain it you might get a very fine film of wax on top of the honey in the jar. The lucky recipients will love it all.

 

[10hive]

I 've used the crush and strain method for yrs.I have a large chinese hat type strainer that holds about a gallon, i put a few layers of cheese cloth in it and let the honey go into a large bowel, it's slow work, but i don't have any money tied up in an extractor,. I do sell about 50 qts,i also give away about 50 pints and have had no complaints over the yrs.

 

[MikeJ]

I have some cheese cloth I could use, I will probably warm up the honey some before I strain it again.
Thank you all for your helpful replies.
Daniel

 

[Daniel21]

I have some cheese cloth I could use, I will probably warm up the honey some before I strain it again.
Thank you all for your helpful replies.
Daniel

 

[beekeeper1756]

Daniel,

I've done a few cutouts on wild, feral hives that had dark comb in it. Once the honey was strained through cheesecloth, once or twice, the honey was delicious.

 

[jmgi]

I can't believe you didn't have any complaints after you strained it into a large bowel.

 

[Troy]

I too have done some cutouts and gotten honey that has some dirt etc in it. I have strained it and it came out nice and clean.

Of course I wouldn't sell it, but I often use it for my own personal consumption. You can also feed it back to the bees if you want.

I did a cutout once from a rotten tree. I didn't think much of it at the time, but the black composted oak tree innards got rubbed on much of the combs and all over. I figured it would strain out fine. I did a standard crush and strain on it and got about 10 lbs of honey.

It strained nicely, but it stained the honey pitch black like tea stains water. After straining through a 200 micron filter it had no decipherable trash in it, but had the strangest taste. Earthy and oakey, but also bitter. I did not like it and it was so dark I did not even want to feed it to the bees as I thought it would darken the combs too much. I ended up throwing it away. Even when I diluted it with water to wash it down the drain, the water was almost black too.

That was the only time it has not worked out though. Usually if strains to a nice golden amber color and tastes great.

 

[lisascenic]

To be perfectly honest, I assume there's a bit of dirt in all food. I don't get too stressed out about it.

Carrots? Grew in the dirt. Apples? Licked by squirrels. Fig Newtons? Full of ****roach feet.

This is probably why I am happy to be growing some of my own food these days.

 

[Countryboy]

Foundationless frames that were drawn out last year are NOT old brood combs. Those are fresh combs with a few cycles of brood raised in them.

Old brood combs will be black, or coffee colored at least...and those will be several years old.