Worldwide Beekeeping

Beekeeping => General Beekeeping => Topic started by: riverbee on January 07, 2014, 11:28:04 am

Title: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: riverbee on January 07, 2014, 11:28:04 am
this is my method of producing cut comb honey. if you are interested in producing comb honey for the first time, with minimal expense, using foundation-less frames, and equipment you already have, this is a great method to try or use, and a great way to get started, especially if you want to experiment and try it and don’t want to invest in extra, expensive equipment. this method works very well with a very strong hive and and a very strong nectar flow.

i run 8 frame medium supers. this will work for a 9 frame setup as well. the foundation-less frames(one or two per super, depending on the strength of the hive), are placed off center between drawn frames used for liquid honey extraction, so i would have 6 or 7 drawn frames and one or two foundation-less frames to equal 8 total frames in a medium sized super.

a girl could make her own frames, okay, a GUY could make his own frames……. :D but i just use the regular frames. i don’t use any starter strips, and i do melt a bead of beeswax in the grooves of the top and bottom bars of the frames to get them started, so the bees have a head start and are not wasting their energy to fill these grooves in, because they will. i also had someone fabricate a stainless steel cutting tray for me, larger than the cutting tray i initially purchased from walter t. kelley, but the kelley tray works great to start out with.

my cut comb honey will weigh anywhere between 412 to 530 grams or more (14 1/2ozs to 1lb 2 ¾ ozs or more) and i sell by the gram, .03+ per gram, so anywhere between $14 and $20 for a section. ross rounds and section squares typically weigh about ¾ of a pd, or about 12 oz., or 340 grams. in my area these sell for anywhere between $12 and $15 or higher.

once customers who love comb honey find you, they will make tracks to your door to purchase it. the other nice thing is you can cut it up in smaller slices and use it as chunk honey in jars.

enjoy!

www.youtube.com/embed/xval9IFV2_I"
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: mamapoppybee on January 07, 2014, 11:42:43 am
thats a great how to for us nebies river thankyou
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: blueblood on January 07, 2014, 01:13:31 pm
Boy o Boy I love me some comb honey!  :P
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: Jen on January 07, 2014, 04:08:30 pm
I would love love love some comb honey! But for now, my fourth season, I just want to get some honey period! And with the encouragment of riverbee and Glenn, that just might happen!
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: Moots on January 07, 2014, 05:16:57 pm
riverbee,
Great video, thanks for making and sharing...

I'm just headed into my second year, but trying to do some comb honey is on my list of things to give a try.

I had a pretty decent Summer and Fall harvest for my first year and have just about sold out of it all.  I made up a little creamed honey which has been well received and have had a few request for comb honey.  I've given "some" thought to trying ross rounds but think I'll take your approach for starters. If I can find the time, I might try a having them build directly into mason jars as a novelty item.

Anyway, I "assume" the time in the freezer is a necessary precaution to deal with wax moths and other potential critters...am I correct?
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: riverbee on January 07, 2014, 05:50:18 pm
"I "assume" the time in the freezer is a necessary precaution to deal with wax moths and other potential critters...am I correct?"

yes that's correct moots,and you can also store the squares packaged, in a ziploc, if need be for longer term storage/sales.  doing this keeps the face of the comb nice and white, and also prevents honey running and pooling beneath the cut comb. once removed from the freezer, let it come to room temp before removing it out of the ziploc, this prevents moisture from collecting on the face of the comb in the packaging.

"I just want to get some honey period! And with the encouragment of riverbee and Glenn, that just might happen! "

...... :D well jen you have my encouragement!  we will ALL do our best to get you there this season, so that you can taste the sweet success of your labors, and the bees too.  hang in there!
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: Jen on January 07, 2014, 07:13:51 pm
Thanks riv- been hangin for 3 seasons, one more sure won't hurt  :D
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: Marbees on January 07, 2014, 11:47:34 pm
This is a foolproof method of comb honey production. This is how I produced comb honey in my second season.
There are other ways requiring more equipment and more attention from a beekeeper....
riverbee, thanks for posting :)
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: minz on January 08, 2014, 04:07:14 pm
Funny, second year I cut out some comb to cure the ‘we want honey’ chant. I figured it would be and easy undertaking if even I could do it.  Next couple of years I tried to get some and the bees only wanted to store honey in the drawn old, ugly frames!
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: riverbee on January 08, 2014, 04:53:17 pm
your welcome marbees, this is an old method, but it sure does work, and like i said minimal expense.  great for new and old beeks alike to try out for comb honey before investing in the equipment sold to produce it.

minz, what method did you use?  this one? 
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: riverbee on May 05, 2014, 12:17:40 pm
was curious if anyone is trying for cut comb honey, or comb honey this season, and what method are you using?
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: kebee on May 05, 2014, 03:02:11 pm
 I haven't try it yet, but I am having a few people asking for it and if I get a few more I will be trying it next year, may even if I don't for I would like to have some comb honey my self and your way looks easy if I can get the bees to build it.

Ken
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: pistolpete on May 05, 2014, 03:20:00 pm
I will be trying that exact method, except with deep frames.  I already have my supers arranges with two blank frames/super with the nicest drawn frames I could find next to each.  I am using wood frames that blew out in the extractor, so there are starter bits of was all around.  I figure this is better than throwing on a super of drawn comb, because it keeps the wax secreting bees busy.
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: Riverrat on May 05, 2014, 10:04:57 pm
nothing better than cut comb honey.  When cutting the comb I always leave the first two or three rows of cells at the top for a guide for next years frame. ;)
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: riverbee on May 06, 2014, 01:15:41 am
ken, if you have a good strong colony and a good flow on and a super on, just put one blank frame in this season, the bees will fill it out, you will be amazed at how quickly they draw comb, fill it and cap it....good luck! 

pete, very cool!!!  i have never done this method with a deep frame, just mediums, so give us a pic or two and an update, i would be interested in how it turns out for you!.  also, you should have some nice straight comb honey frames setting them in between the nicely drawn frames you selected.  good luck to you too!

"nothing better than cut comb honey"

ditto riverrat!!!! 
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: Perry on May 06, 2014, 06:56:38 am
I have always wanted to, and even have 10 cut comb shallow supers just waiting. What I will probably do instead (for now) is just slip a frame or two of foundationless in a couple of my medium honey supers till I have more time.
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: Zweefer on May 06, 2014, 08:03:45 am
Thanks for sharing this Riverbee!
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: blueblood on May 06, 2014, 09:32:27 am
It works just like that too.  I tried it last year after seeing her original thread on this.  My top bar honey comb is just as simple.
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: riverbee on July 11, 2014, 01:13:37 am
okay, anyone try for cut comb honey this season?  pete?  from your earlier post was curious if you tried this in your deep frames? 
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: tbonekel on July 11, 2014, 09:10:42 am
Some of my foundation-less frames i made into several jars of chunk honey. I did one square of comb honey just to see if I liked it or not. Yeah, baby! Anyway, I didn't drain it like you did, but maybe next year, I might do some more.
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: riverbee on July 11, 2014, 11:18:07 am
that's cool tbone! and 'yeah baby'......how can anyone not like comb honey?!!!........ :D

i let mine drain tbone, because it's packaged and sold to customers......presentation!........i don't want the comb swimming in a bed of honey that leaked out.  also when i drain it, i package it right away, and it goes in the freezer for 24 hrs or more until sold.
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: Beeracuda on July 11, 2014, 01:18:18 pm
We are going to have to try some foundationless next year.  I would love to have some of our own comb honey and might even sell some!  :)
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: riverbee on July 12, 2014, 12:14:33 am
you will get hooked on it bc, especially when you see how fast the bees draw that comb out and fill it in a good flow!  it is so cool to see! oh and uhhh....taste too!

Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: Yankee11 on July 12, 2014, 12:47:00 am
OK Riverbee, you motivated me.

These go in tomorrow.

(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs30.postimg.cc%2Fgepuhzagd%2F10547759_1519941874895823_4787524700617045165_o.jpg&hash=186869436cdd9dffca00a83e5b1ccd93e7503cdc) (http://postimg.cc/image/gepuhzagd/)
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: pistolpete on July 12, 2014, 01:20:17 am
My honey producing season is just starting, supers went on about two weeks ago.  I have 6 foundation less frames on the go in 3 separate hives.   When I checked on them a couple of days ago they were about 1/2 way drawn.   On one frame they built one leaf of comb perpendicular to the other frames.   I cut that part out and ate it on the spot.  It was more nectar than honey, but delicious nevertheless.    I'll be checking one hive tomorrow and see if I can grab some pictures.
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: apisbees on July 12, 2014, 01:54:16 am
The issue with using deep frames is you need an increadable flow to get the entire frame drawn filled and capped.  If it takes the bees to long or if the frames are left on the hives for to long the wax cappings become travel stained. Using shallow or mediums allows the frames to be removed sooner and quicker.

Sent from my LG-P500h using Tapatalk 2

Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: brooksbeefarm on July 12, 2014, 08:56:51 am
Rb, how do you sell your comb honey? I usually put on 8 to 10 shallow supers a year ( i use a 1 in. starter strip) to sell at the farmers market. We sell 8 .oz and 16.oz clear plastic boxes of comb honey ( the container has to have the weight on it to sell at the farmers market, so we have to add honey to the boxes to make it 8.oz or 16.oz boxes, if not we would have to make labels with different weights for each box and figure a price for each container. If you cut it out of the frame and let it drain each block of cut comb would weigh different. was just wondering how you handle this, or would if you sold at the farmers market. Jack
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: Bamabww on July 12, 2014, 10:30:12 am
How did I miss this thread? Thanks so much for the video riverbee. That is so simple even I could do it. The comb honey is very pretty the way you package it and I'm sure tasty as well.
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: pistolpete on July 12, 2014, 04:14:39 pm
I took a couple of pictures today.  You might notice that I used a wood starter strip on these frames.  It seems to work all right, especially if painted with wax.  All the cells are drone sized, but they're above a queen excluder, so that hardly matters.  My plan for these is chunk honey for gift jars.
(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs7.postimg.cc%2F6tvmbt7av%2FDSC_0001.jpg&hash=b621ed6ad3217cffc4972ae3fcd544ce2c147c59) (http://postimg.cc/image/6tvmbt7av/)

(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs7.postimg.cc%2F3x8lbj1h3%2FDSC_0002.jpg&hash=c7ce7d4b87f5769c35a072887eb39d4bab8294eb) (http://postimg.cc/image/3x8lbj1h3/)

(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs7.postimg.cc%2F9u7velt87%2FDSC_0003.jpg&hash=84fda5dc9f550741dd80ed32b1413ff2c78ff850) (http://postimg.cc/image/9u7velt87/)
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: tbonekel on July 12, 2014, 06:09:05 pm
That looks great! Love that beautiful fresh wax!
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: riverbee on July 12, 2014, 08:57:06 pm
"OK Riverbee, you motivated me.
These go in tomorrow."


yankee, AWESOME!  i am totally impressed by the neat marking on the tops of your frames!!!  how did you do that?! ps wish you well!  post back let us know how it worked for you, and thank you!

"Rb, how do you sell your comb honey? I usually put on 8 to 10 shallow supers a year ( i use a 1 in. starter strip) to sell at the farmers market. We sell 8 .oz and 16.oz clear plastic boxes of comb honey ( the container has to have the weight on it to sell at the farmers market, so we have to add honey to the boxes to make it 8.oz or 16.oz boxes, if not we would have to make labels with different weights for each box and figure a price for each container. If you cut it out of the frame and let it drain each block of cut comb would weigh different. was just wondering how you handle this, or would if you sold at the farmers market. Jack"

yep jack, i have to weigh each cut section after it has drained with a digital scale. (i don't add any honey).  wisconsin requires weight.  i charge by the weight, so my trusty calculator helps me out on this (not a math brain) all my labels are hand made and one size. what i do is add the weight and price by hand in a gold marker to the comb honey label (white).  this is not a stick on but a 'gift tag' tie on around the box, hmmm like gift wrap.  i probably don't produce as much comb honey as you jack.  most of the comb honey i harvest from 8 frame supers weighs well over 1 pd even after draining over night, and the weights are different as you said,  and i have to use the larger containers for them to fit in, not the standard ones you use.  i know how much the container weighs. sort of an assembly line.....the cut peices go in the container, it's weighed and marked with a sticker, then i go back to label and package for sale with the weight and price on each and every one.....hope this answers your question?!

ps....you are welcome wayne!

pete, thanks for the pix! 
"  All the cells are drone sized"
yep, and that's what you will find and appreciate when producing foundationless comb honey.....the size of the cells are drone sized.....and it's beautiful when it's finished!  nice looking white wax!
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: Yankee11 on August 28, 2014, 06:07:08 pm
Looks like they did a good job on them. Now just have to get them cut up. Never sold comb honey before. Should be fun.

(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs18.postimg.cc%2Fdu2r03u2t%2F20140816_214707.jpg&hash=365d471db0a4ba5f602af7564a6ac36bfa1ccb8d) (http://postimg.cc/image/du2r03u2t/)
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: riverbee on August 28, 2014, 06:29:26 pm
very cool!  very nice looking frame of comb honey yankee!  how many frames did you harvest?
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: Yankee11 on August 29, 2014, 08:51:44 am
Looks like I will get about 8 or so. I need to order me one of those trays that you show in the video.
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: Zweefer on August 29, 2014, 09:27:58 am
I am curious along with Riverbee - what about the marking on the top of the frames?
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: riverbee on August 29, 2014, 11:55:22 am
the tray works really slick.  what also works is find a large stainless steel grilling tray with small round holes or with small perforations and set that on top of a shallow baking sheet.

Google Search Stainless Steel Grill Tray (https://www.google.com/search?q=stainless+steel+grill+tray&client=firefox-a&hs=Yok&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=sb&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=xp8AVOOpFfCK8gG32oC4BQ&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAg&biw=1467&bih=655#imgdii=_)

zweefer, looks like yankee got all professional marking his comb honey frames, a nice stencil or something? nice touch!  i just scribble on the tops of the frames with a perm marker....... :D
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: brooksbeefarm on August 29, 2014, 12:06:27 pm
Took off 3 shallow supers of comb honey yesterday, one was snow( you reading this perry :D) white. the other two supers will become chunk honey i left it on to long :o Jack
PS. It's good to be back, my phone line (AT&T) was out for 5 days.
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: riverbee on August 29, 2014, 12:46:41 pm
"PS. It's good to be back, my phone line (AT&T) was out for 5 days."

i wondered where you had been jack! oops on the not so snowy white comb honey, but chunk honey is just as good!
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: Yankee11 on August 29, 2014, 02:27:03 pm
Hobby Lobby ink block stamps and water proof ink.  :)

Bought the set to number my hives, quick and easy. Just stamped the top bars

Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: Zweefer on August 29, 2014, 08:16:34 pm
Nice!
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: Bakersdozen on August 29, 2014, 09:23:12 pm
Looks like they did a good job on them. Now just have to get them cut up. Never sold comb honey before. Should be fun.

(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs18.postimg.cc%2Fdu2r03u2t%2F20140816_214707.jpg&hash=365d471db0a4ba5f602af7564a6ac36bfa1ccb8d) (http://postimg.cc/image/du2r03u2t/)
That's a thing of beauty.  Nice job marking your frames for comb honey.  I guess your bees can read really well. :laugh:
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: Yankee11 on August 30, 2014, 12:21:43 am
Ok River, from your idea here is what I found locally at a restaurant supply store.

The stainless tray is like a perferrated brownie tray. Then in another section they had these tray covers and snap together. I turned the metal tray upside down si I have the flat surface to work on.

7.50 for each piece. Thanks for the idea.

(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs24.postimg.cc%2Feqahgbq6p%2F20140829_171102.jpg&hash=48afaa132254341b407297f0a10da67d285a5d5b) (http://postimg.cc/image/eqahgbq6p/)

(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs24.postimg.cc%2Fmmuyok1n5%2F20140829_172119.jpg&hash=3518995a77f78628ff86774105ac5e8a4556d9b4) (http://postimg.cc/image/mmuyok1n5/)
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: riverbee on August 30, 2014, 11:27:43 am
excellent!!! thanks for the pictures of your find, that ought to work really well yankee!  never even thought of wandering around a restaurant supply place.  very cool!
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: riverbee on August 30, 2014, 11:43:11 am
yankee, also, pick up a roll of that non skid material, hmmm, you can find it in any housewares section of any store.....keeps things from sliding around.

cut a square of it to fit underneath your tray, and as you are cutting the comb, the tray won't slide around on you.  ;)

Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: Yankee11 on August 30, 2014, 09:29:02 pm

(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs11.postimg.cc%2F7dz3ye3a7%2F20140830_073354.jpg&hash=1ca66e69f2d940cb3f072cdeb4af702662e3dc72) (http://postimg.cc/image/7dz3ye3a7/)

(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs11.postimg.cc%2Fmpdicqpzz%2F20140830_073448.jpg&hash=657432a2f711a7251f747be6b6a73051794ee20d) (http://postimg.cc/image/mpdicqpzz/)

(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs11.postimg.cc%2Fy5jxas467%2F20140830_073648.jpg&hash=5a7b9d4a205941940d287238a0566a96af73df2d) (http://postimg.cc/image/y5jxas467/)

(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs11.postimg.cc%2Fqn0s25ctb%2F20140830_074011.jpg&hash=34a16049fadc206143b1757f7760a3fbc718914e) (http://postimg.cc/image/qn0s25ctb/)

(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs11.postimg.cc%2Fwl9zyn6e7%2F20140830_074220.jpg&hash=7109b93460f87a41db6ee0319c7b13dadca593ad) (http://postimg.cc/image/wl9zyn6e7/)

(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs11.postimg.cc%2F4p4b8cxsv%2F20140830_074530.jpg&hash=d9b699b5959b434032597e0b5892ad95ebe25621) (http://postimg.cc/image/4p4b8cxsv/)

(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs11.postimg.cc%2Fl2oaridy7%2F20140830_091916.jpg&hash=0d395e1bc6eb1af42697067a5d91effdbca7999a) (http://postimg.cc/image/l2oaridy7/)
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: riverbee on August 30, 2014, 09:58:47 pm
 :photos:.......

nope, AWESOME PIX!!! look at the purty white comb!!!  was looking for an update from you yankee and just knew you would post back......a work of art and sweet beauty!!!!.........(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1056.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ft373%2Friverbee1%2FEmoticons%2Fegyptian_zpsfbbc3c5b.gif&hash=dc03941ade8851dace0887ab295fb44610ccacea)
that tray setup appears to have worked out great!!!

thank you for the pix!!!
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: crazyk on August 30, 2014, 09:59:39 pm
Can you send some of that to Australia please.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: Yankee11 on August 30, 2014, 10:05:04 pm
Just following your lead River, so Thank-You.

Well, crazyK,

I threw the pictures on Face Book for 12 bucks a jar, Aaannnndddd, there gone. :D

Starting on the next frame.
Title: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: crazyk on August 30, 2014, 10:12:26 pm
Nice one Yankee. Very envious.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: Yankee11 on August 30, 2014, 10:20:17 pm
The restaurant store is where I get the filters for my wax.

(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs10.postimg.cc%2Fm5x986rth%2F20140821_122244.jpg&hash=c06dfb959e7230e42053ec399781b9e4ceddf3bd) (http://postimg.cc/image/m5x986rth/)
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: lazy shooter on September 01, 2014, 10:49:03 am
At the risk of being whatever, do customers just eat comb honey like finger food or what?
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: riverbee on September 01, 2014, 11:06:57 pm
yes lazy, finger food, cut a chunk off and mmmm, mmmmm!  and smeared on anything, crackers; crackers and cheese, toast, peanut butter sandwiches, biscuits, rolls, breads, bagels, tortillas, waffles,pancakes etc.... put it in your oatmeal, steel oats, or on top of hot spicy chili, or baste a turkey with it...., i love comb honey! 

i put together a pdf file for the folks that want to try comb honey but don't know what to do with it.....i will share it.....
ps some of my customers are city folks or of the 'blueblood' variety, have tried it in a finer restaurant, want to serve it to guests/parties (holiday variety) or enjoy themselves, but can't figure out what to do with it....... :D

so some ideas......

ps, i am only going to leave this file up and available for a few days.  after that if any member would like a copy, i can send it to you.
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: crazyk on September 02, 2014, 06:39:49 am
I can't open that PDF with taptalk


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: riverbee on September 02, 2014, 11:14:59 am
hmmm, i don't own a smart phone, so i can't help you out there....maybe post a question about how to do it in 'forum news, questions and suggestions.'

Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: Yankee11 on September 06, 2014, 11:40:45 pm
River,

I missed the pdf file and would like to look at it.

Can you send to me?
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: riverbee on September 08, 2014, 01:51:27 am
absolutely yankee, sent you a pm!
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: pistolpete on September 08, 2014, 11:04:59 pm
Here is some of my cut comb production.  First kick at the can with it this year.   I tried for 6 deep frames (foundationless inserted between two drawn frames).  I had two frames in each of my 3 hives.  The two hives that had no queen excluder ended up with some brood in them and only the top 4 inches were usable for cut comb, the rest was crush and strain.

The nicest frame was this one:
(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs8.postimg.cc%2Fw7om0vixt%2FIMG_2314.jpg&hash=dc442ca758017cdb42aaf4cdd290b0f13d16be7f) (http://postimg.cc/image/w7om0vixt/)

here's some draining:

(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs21.postimg.cc%2F4s6fftoir%2FIMG_2308.jpg&hash=19bff4f76f54f584099ec333990c0d20689e6444) (http://postimg.cc/image/4s6fftoir/)

and here's some chunk honey waiting to get "drowned":


(https://worldwidebeekeeping.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fs12.postimg.cc%2Foqgjxrpeh%2FIMG_2310.jpg&hash=d9a39227c69b8fa3782b80bf0827ba40b1f8059a) (http://postimg.cc/image/oqgjxrpeh/)
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: Yankee11 on September 08, 2014, 11:11:30 pm
That looks great pistol.

That is the lightest honey i've ever seen.
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: riverbee on September 08, 2014, 11:24:47 pm
that does look great pete! wow, the white comb, it's awesome!  thanks for the pictures!  what do you think your honey might have been from pete?
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: pistolpete on September 08, 2014, 11:29:00 pm
the two main sources are alfalfa, and sweet white clover.  Both bloom for about two months in vacant lots nearby.
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: riverbee on September 08, 2014, 11:41:45 pm
thanks pete, love alfalfa honey, and alfalfa cut comb, don't have alfalfa fields here, so i purchase alfalfa cut comb and liquid honey in montana.

Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: iddee on September 09, 2014, 08:45:46 am
That's surprising, RB. Just about 4 hours from you, over near Appleton, there are miles of alfalfa. So much that they pay pollination fees for thousands of hives each year.
Title: Re: Cut Comb Honey Production
Post by: riverbee on September 10, 2014, 01:08:32 pm
what is grown near me iddee is cut before the bloom.  we have considered planting alfalfa for the bees, maybe next year, this year we planted buckwheat.
i also trade the beekeeper i buy the alfalfa honey from, i think he looks forward to seeing me every year.