[snl]

The fat lady has sung. Flow is on it’s last legs. Time to pull supers.
Darn short flow here

 

[Mike Gillmore]

Wow, that's a bummer. We're just getting started here. Should be good through June.

 

[AHudd]

Location, location, location, or is it elevation. https://www.beesource.com/forums/showthread.php?354531-Slow-to-cap-honey&p=1724115#post1724115
In my location the elevation change within a few miles can make a difference of a week.

Alex

 

[vtbeeguy]

Wow that sucks but I got a question. Is it a hard stop or is there still small amounts of nectar around at some points throughout the summer but not enough for them to store extra? You must have to do a decent amount of feeding if you make any splits in the summer. Are you able to get them to draw any comb for you still if you keep the feed on them?

 

[snl]

It’s basically a quick stop. The privet shutdown/withers away and that’s the last of almost everything till golden rod in the fall. Depending on how much honey I take I may need to feed..

 

[ericweller]

Isn't blackberry still blooming? It is here.

 

[snl]

Isn't blackberry still blooming? It is here.

Good for you. Unfortunately, BB is going out with the privet here...

 

[Fivej]

Snl: When did your flow start and approx how many supers pr/hive do you get with this flow? J

 

[snl]

The flow here starts early March. I average about 2 supers. I’m in an area that has mainly corn, soy and cotton. Of course there’s no nectar in corn (which is about knee high now) and I've never seen anything from soy or cotton. Oh wait, from cotton, I get socks, underwear, jeans and shirts!

 

[Fivej]

That's a good amount for what you got. Plus socks and underwear. J

 

[beecole]

The BB is still hanging on here at a higher elevation in upstate SC. You're right after that it's very little until golden rod. That's what I get also 2 medium supers and leave one on thru dearth.

 

[Oldtimer]

Do your bees shut down through the dearth?

 

[aran]

just about to start in upstate NY.
Dandelions are just starting to come out in force and the fruit trees are starting to bloom.

 

[Smokeybee]

SNL,

I'm assuming you're east of me if you have cotton. I'm in Lexington County and they're still bringing a little in, I'm not sure of the source.

We're in a sort of a hole here. There's no goldenrod here so have basically nothing after this until next spring. I'm considering moving some bees to Orangeburg in the fall to see what I can get.

 

[beemandan]

We sometimes go until late May or early June. We’re still getting something as there is new comb and serious foraging going on.
Goldenrod blooms here but I’ve never seen anything that would qualify as a ‘flow’.
Late season splits require drawn comb.
One only needs to feed if they remove all of the stored honey.

 

[snl]

Do your bees shut down through the dearth?

Yes, but not entirely...

 

[snl]

One only needs to feed if they remove all of the stored honey.

Very true. However, honey sells for approximately $8lb, sugar is $.50lb.
I’ll pull honey and feed sugar...

 

[beemandan]

However, honey sells for approximately $8lb, sugar is $.50lb.

As a business owner yourself, I’m sure you appreciate the costs ignored in this comparison. First, I would suggest that we should be using the wholesale price of honey…around $2/lb.
Second we would include the labor cost of harvesting that additional honey.
Third we should include the cost of producing and delivering that syrup. Roughly, 2:1 syrup is about 7lbs of sugar per gallon. I usually only give them a gallon at a time to allow them to cure and store it. I tend to leave about 50lbs of honey to get them through the winter….at 20% moisture that equates to about 40lbs of sugar. Which means I need to make around 7 feeding trips.
Third…is the misery factor of it all.
Is it still financially advantageous to take all of the honey and feed them to get through the winter? Sure. Is it 8X more profitable? Not even close.

 

[snl]

I do sell all my honey @ approximately $8/lb. I buy HFCS for $3/gallon. My hives (approximately 30) are 8 minutes from my home. So for me, pulling honey and then feeding is a good option. Not only that, but I’m retired, except for selling vaporizers and going to conferences (which I totally enjoy); feeding is really not a chore.

 

[beemandan]

I do sell all my honey @ approximately $8/lb.

Me too...so to my other calculations we can add the price of jars, lids and labels. Plus any market fees. Plus the time spent at the market selling the additional honey.
In my opinion, being retired doesn't mean that your time has no value. But...that's just my opinion.
Again, is there a profit in taking all the honey and feeding? Absolutely. Is it 8X? No! Is it worth it to an individual? Depends on the person. For me....no.