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Recent Posts
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Links / Honey Bee Health Coalition Nutritional Guide
« Last post by Bakersdozen on January 21, 2024, 10:32:22 am »https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org/nutritionguide/
Honey Bee Health Coalition has added a supplemental nutritional guide to their information about colony health and varroa mite information. In the absence of natural nectar and pollen, this guide gives nutritional information on supplemental feeding. This is available for download and is free.
Honey Bee Health Coalition has added a supplemental nutritional guide to their information about colony health and varroa mite information. In the absence of natural nectar and pollen, this guide gives nutritional information on supplemental feeding. This is available for download and is free.
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General Beekeeping / Re: Cleaning honey extractors
« Last post by Bakersdozen on January 21, 2024, 10:26:41 am »Mudsongs, in this part of the central US, Clovers including white clover are our main source of nectar for honey.
I have a barrel dolly that I move my four frame electric extractor around on. At this stage, my back needs all the help it can get.
I have a barrel dolly that I move my four frame electric extractor around on. At this stage, my back needs all the help it can get.
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General Beekeeping / Re: Cleaning honey extractors
« Last post by MudSongs on January 20, 2024, 01:08:40 pm »Good point. All beekeeping is local beekeeping.
My bees don't forage exclusively on anything with a high glucose content like Canola. My bees get plenty of white clover and then goldenrod at the end of the year, but it's all mixed in with nectar from various deciduous trees and woody shrubs that add fair bit of fructose to the mix. I get very little if any crystallization in my extractor between sessions. Neither does the liquid honey ferment between sessions.
I followed the example of a local commercial beekeeper who helped me out when I started. He does the same thing, cleaning his extractor once a year with a pressure washer.
Another point would be the size of the extractor. I'm small scale. I extract 6 medium frames at a time with Maxant 3100p, probably no more than 4-5 medium supers in one go. A larger extractor, I assume, would leave more honey in the bottom. I'd say at most there's a litre of honey left in my extractor after I've tilted it to pour the last of the honey from it.
If I did clean between sessions, though, the pressure would still be my preferred method. The extractor looks fair large but weighs practically nothing. It's easy to lift. I take outside, remove the cage hit everything hard with the pressure washer, the inside and the outside of the extractor. It so much easier than washing it by hand. It just about looks brand new when I'm done. I never looked back once I got the pressure washer.
My bees don't forage exclusively on anything with a high glucose content like Canola. My bees get plenty of white clover and then goldenrod at the end of the year, but it's all mixed in with nectar from various deciduous trees and woody shrubs that add fair bit of fructose to the mix. I get very little if any crystallization in my extractor between sessions. Neither does the liquid honey ferment between sessions.
I followed the example of a local commercial beekeeper who helped me out when I started. He does the same thing, cleaning his extractor once a year with a pressure washer.
Another point would be the size of the extractor. I'm small scale. I extract 6 medium frames at a time with Maxant 3100p, probably no more than 4-5 medium supers in one go. A larger extractor, I assume, would leave more honey in the bottom. I'd say at most there's a litre of honey left in my extractor after I've tilted it to pour the last of the honey from it.
If I did clean between sessions, though, the pressure would still be my preferred method. The extractor looks fair large but weighs practically nothing. It's easy to lift. I take outside, remove the cage hit everything hard with the pressure washer, the inside and the outside of the extractor. It so much easier than washing it by hand. It just about looks brand new when I'm done. I never looked back once I got the pressure washer.
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General Beekeeping / Re: Cleaning honey extractors
« Last post by Bakersdozen on January 20, 2024, 12:28:35 pm »I use a pressure washer to clean my extractor -- and most of beekeeping gear. It sometimes requires a scouring sponge to remove stuck-on wax, but otherwise, super pressurized water does the trick. It comes out spic and span. No soap required.MudSongs, what are your floral sources? They must not crystalize quickly.
I clean my extractor once a year with a pressure washer. The residue honey on the bottom doesn't seem to be an issue unless dead bees or wasps have collected in the bottom. As long as everything is closed up between extraction sessions, even for a couple weeks, it should be fine. I extract 3-4 times a year in small batches starting in July, about every two or tree weeks. I've had no issues.
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Laugh A Little / Re: Bad funny
« Last post by Bakersdozen on January 20, 2024, 12:26:13 pm »Dad Joke! I passed it on to my husband.
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General Beekeeping / Re: Cleaning honey extractors
« Last post by MudSongs on January 20, 2024, 08:19:54 am »I use a pressure washer to clean my extractor -- and most of beekeeping gear. It sometimes requires a scouring sponge to remove stuck-on wax, but otherwise, super pressurized water does the trick. It comes out spic and span. No soap required.
I clean my extractor once a year with a pressure washer. The residue honey on the bottom doesn't seem to be an issue unless dead bees or wasps have collected in the bottom. As long as everything is closed up between extraction sessions, even for a couple weeks, it should be fine. I extract 3-4 times a year in small batches starting in July, about every two or tree weeks. I've had no issues.
I clean my extractor once a year with a pressure washer. The residue honey on the bottom doesn't seem to be an issue unless dead bees or wasps have collected in the bottom. As long as everything is closed up between extraction sessions, even for a couple weeks, it should be fine. I extract 3-4 times a year in small batches starting in July, about every two or tree weeks. I've had no issues.
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Laugh A Little / Bad funny
« Last post by iddee on January 19, 2024, 09:12:29 pm »Did you know there is not one Canary on Canary Island? Same with the Virgin Isles. There in not one Canary there, either.
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Farm Livestock / Re: Baby Goats Anyone?
« Last post by Bakersdozen on January 11, 2024, 11:26:00 am »How precious! Nothing is cuter than a baby (insert mammal of choice here)! 
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Recipes / Re: What's Cookin'
« Last post by Bakersdozen on January 11, 2024, 11:22:29 am »Oh man, I could go for one of those sweet rolls right about now!They were fantastic while still warm. The next day required microwaving. They were truly at their best straight from the oven.