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Last of the Honey Supers for extraction

Monday, August 25th, 2014

These are the last of the honey supers (shallows or honey boxes), for me to extract that have come off the hives at the allotment. I’ve removed the last two supers, and I have one finally to remove from a hive.

Here are some pictures of capped honey comb, full of honey, before de-capping and extracting.

Each frame holds approx 2kg of honey. Approx 3-5 jars per frame.

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Super of capped honey 10 frames on castellations per super

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2 full supers ready to un-cap and extract

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frame of capped honey, ready for de-capping and extraction, the two dark uncapped cells contain pollen!

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close-up of super and capped honey frame

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Bees On The Move

Friday, August 22nd, 2014

The winter approaches fast, I’m now taking the honey off the hives, uniting the colonies to make them stronger over the winter, treating them for varroa (mite!), and moving them to their new home…

Hive on the move, on my hive barrow (I built!)

Hive on the move, on my hive barrow (I built!), on the far right of the picture you can just make out, a nucleus box (half a hive), left to catch any stragglers left!

This is the first hive on it’s travels, this hive has given me 75kg of honey this year.

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Let the Honey Flow … “GOLD!”

Monday, August 18th, 2014

A busy time of year extracting the honey from the hives, which makes all the effort worth it! But now the hard work comes, starting to prepare the colonies for the winter ahead!

here is a little video, which is best called a “montage”….

I also had a little stealth mission to Leyburn to pick up a honey warming cabinet….

The Black Swan Hotel in Leyburn

The Black Swan Hotel in Leyburn

this honey warming box, is to allow me, to gently warm oil seed rape granulated honey, from the spring, and seed with additional runny honey, so I can cream it, creating a soft set honey.

Honey Warming Cabinet

Honey Warming Cabinet

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Extracting the first honey of 2014

Tuesday, May 27th, 2014

Finished with the swarming for the moment, and now onto extracting the first of the honey crop for this year 2014.

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Frosty today…

Tuesday, November 19th, 2013

One of the first very cold winter mornings, -5 degrees C at 9.00am, bees are all wrapped up…

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-5 degrees C
beehive wrapped up for winter
beehive wrapped up for winter
frosty grass
frosty grass

Start Slideshow

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Pure Gold – All jarred up!

Monday, September 2nd, 2013

Honey is now all jarred up into 12oz hexagonal jars, waiting for the labels to be printed, and then ready for sale!

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So if you want to purchase any rural rustic cottage wild flower honey from the Yorkshire Wolds, let me know…

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Pure Gold

Wednesday, August 28th, 2013

Pure Gold – and I’m not referring to the song Gold by Spandau Ballet. I’m referring to my honey.

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honey2

from a swarm of bees which arrived in June, into one of my hives, I’ve successfully taken off 15kg of honey, which is now filtered, waiting for jarring and labeling.

Here is a quick video of the extracted honey leaving the extractor and being filtered, via coarse and fine mesh filters.

Just some thanks, to Vickie and Andrew (or Andrew and Vickie) for the loan of the extractor, and advice!

Why not visit Vickie’s Website – Wordweaver Stories, and not forgetting Paul @ JLB Electronics.

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What’s killing our bees?

Tuesday, August 6th, 2013

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Too Hot for My Bee Suit!

Sunday, July 7th, 2013

by joe, it’s hot today, I’m now hiding from the sun today, yesterday, I weeded the allotment for a few hours in the midday sun, and got sunburnt arms!

and today, at 1pm was in a full bee suit, inspecting the bees…must have sunstroke! I ate some honey comb straight out of the hive the other day, it was delicious!

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not sure but these could be - Supersedure cells?

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Supersedure cells – bees have decided to make themselves a new queen, either the queen is damaged, not laying, disappeared, or old.

Update – these could be drone cells, and not Supersedure cells because they are too small and not vertical.

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Honey Bees – Day 22 – After swarm arrived in my beehive

Sunday, June 30th, 2013

Honey Bees coming and going from beehive – day 22 after the swarm arrived at this hive. Weather today was warm and overcast, at least 20 degrees C, and humid.

Honey Bees - Day 22 - After sawrm arrived in my beehive

Honey Bees - Day 22 - After swarm arrived in my beehive

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