Beekeeping

[ponytug]

Thanks!

That's impressive precision, and dare I say it, accuracy. I can see how a precise, solid jig would make a big difference. For me, not being a great woodworker, getting wood boxes perfect always seemed like a five handed challenge until I built myself a set of corner jigs to enforce truly square joints. (From some back issue of Fine Woodworking, IIRC. Transformational.)

All the best,

Peter

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Thanks!

That's impressive precision, and dare I say it, accuracy. I can see how a precise, solid jig would make a big difference. For me, not being a great woodworking, getting wood boxes perfect always seems like a five handed challenge until I built myself a set of corner jigs to enforce truly square joints. (From some back issue of Fine Woodworking, IIRC. Transformational.)

All the best,

Peter

I'm a little obsessive in most things I do. So I try to improve the process each and every time. It's a challenge when working with pine and flexible and warpable plywood.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

One more to insulate, but I have my student coming over tomorrow to see how it's done. This is the fastest I've ever built hives.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

First batch of frames assembled.

Just 130 more to go!

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Bottling day!

We will have this sold quickly. This years honey is the lightest and most floral we have ever harvested. Last year it was very dark and earthy. Wild to see the differences.

I'm not in the photos, as I had my three mentees and wife doing most of the work. I grilled their lunch though

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

Harvested 366g of pure wax from the cappings.

That will make 250 tubes of lip balm! Wax rendering is one of my favorite things

 

[Eaglesfate]

View attachment 4375337

Harvested 366g of pure wax from the cappings.

That will make 250 tubes of lip balm! Wax rendering is one of my favorite things

How do you go about processing your wax?

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

How do you go about processing your wax?

Generally 1 or two steps. Depends on the quality of the wax going into the first step.

First melt is with water. It is made into a melted wax/water combination. This is filtered through a screen or cheese cloth and allowed to cool. The wax floats.

I remove the wax, and if it was sent through cheesecloth, it's done. If it was filtered through a screen due to larger debris like cacoons, then I melt it again in a double boiler and send it through cheesecloth and let it cool.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

I also typically store it in 35g ingots so that I can toss them into the melt for lip balm, without measuring.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

A friend of mine reported harvesting 380 pounds from 9 hives this year.

He also fed a couple hundred pounds of sugar to them.

So... You tell me... Is he selling honey? Or?

 

[BackRoad]

You don't seem to do anything without a reason...

So why process on the trailer? Is it so it can be cleaned up outside of your shop?

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

You don't seem to do anything without a reason...

So why process on the trailer? Is it so it can be cleaned up outside of your shop?

#1 the extractor needs to be anchored to something.

#2 the trailer jack allows me to tilt it rearward to facilitate flow out the valve.

#3 the height is perfect to run it from extractor to strainer bucket to bottle

#4 easy to move to my other shop to pressure wash after use.

 

[EddieWalker]

You don't seem to do anything without a reason...

So why process on the trailer? Is it so it can be cleaned up outside of your shop?

I like how you worded this. I was wondering the same thing.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

I am a bourbon/whiskey afficianado... So I am making a little bourbon infused honey and marking it with special wax stamps.

 

[Torvy]

I am a bourbon/whiskey afficianado... So I am making a little bourbon infused honey and marking it with special wax stamps.

View attachment 4375774

What ratio? Wife does the bees AND she's the bourbon fan.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

What ratio? Wife does the bees AND she's the bourbon fan.

I used 1.5 tbsp per pound of honey. Proof was 120.

 

[Torvy]

I used 1.5 tbsp per pound of honey. Proof was 120.

What bourbon? She tends to shy way from the high proof stuff.

I like bourbon as a flavoring. I usually put a Tbls in my pecan pies.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

What bourbon? She tends to shy way from the high proof stuff.

I like bourbon as a flavoring. I usually put a Tbls in my pecan pies.

This was a Stellum cask strength single barrel selection.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

I got 7 pounds of honey just from straining our wax cappings. Infused it all with bourbon. This stuff is liquid GOLD. I could sell 100 pounds at $18 per pound.

 

[lsgreg]

I have however done two things I didn't want/intend to do: feed syrup (since mid-july) and treat for mites. Felt the feeding was necessary to get them to build out enough frames to store enough food for winter, and rationalized treating for mites to give them a clean/fresh start since I don't know what condition they were in when I got the nuc.

Ensuring the animals under your care are adequately fed and healthy is good animal husbandry.