Author Topic: help! have to give a speech (Read 7069 times)

Zweefer · « **on:** August 19, 2015, 12:36:29 am »

I have been asked by our local beekeeping club to help with our fall class for beginners, and was given the topic of honey and it's extraction.
Please bear with me, but here is the outline i have thus far... for those of you who have done this before is there anything i am missing that should be touched upon? Keep in mind this is for first year keeps, and those who are interested in keeping next year learning what to do in the fall / getting ready to overwinter (Thank goodness I don't have that subject

)
This is extremely rough, and mostly off the top of my head, so please be gentle

https://docs.google.com/document/d/16WiwTPMT5WQ5sWtYvF5WMxFQSxYfyOXWDphaEl_1TxI/edit?usp=sharing

Thanks all!

apisbees · « **Reply #1 on:** August 19, 2015, 02:58:59 am »

1. 5 types of sugar the main ones' glucose, fructose, sucrose and water
3. viscosity depends on temp and moisture content

b. When to harvest
frame about 2/3rd's capped

1. should be in thin wireless foundation / foundationless frame

iii. Crush and Strain
In the case of wireless or TBH cut off and crush the entire comb On frames of wired foundation scrap the comb off at the foundation with a wood scapula so bees can redraw the comb

i. Spring lighter, milder / Fall darker, stronger in flavor

h. Wax
Garage sale crock pot

apisbees · « **Reply #2 on:** August 19, 2015, 03:37:21 am »

Honey straining fine straining is not the same as ultra filtering. Ultra filtering is filtering the honey through a 5 micron filter. in order to use a filter this fine the honey needs to be heated to over 150 degrees and the honey needs to be forced thru the filter by pumping it. Using A 100 micron filter, or a 100 threads per inch nylon strainer bag that the honey is being pulled thru by gravity will not remove the pollen from the honey. but it will remove the specs of foreign material in the honey. Don't be afraid that by straining your honey that you are straining all the goodness out of it.
Air gets trapped in the honey during the extraction and straining, let it stand in a settling tank for a day or longer The air will rise to the top and the foam can be skimmed off on the tank, rather than having foam on the top of every jar.
Honey flows much easier when it is warm 90 to 100 deg warm. So if you can warm it up, or take it off the hive and extract it while it is still warm the extracting will be quicker and easier.
Bees can smell the honey during the extraction process so use caution to avoid getting the bees worked up into a robbing frenzy.

Perry · « **Reply #3 on:** August 19, 2015, 06:24:22 am »

Hygroscopic, not hydroscopic.

Zweefer · « **Reply #4 on:** August 19, 2015, 08:33:14 am »

Apis - thank you so much. I will add this to the outline.
Having read some of what you put, I can't believe I didn't think of including it. Guess it's one of those things you always do but don't think about I guess (letting honey sit before bottling) And I didn't even think of a crockpot for the wax!

Thanks for the catch Perry. It has been fixed

These are my notes, warts and all, so thanks for your kindness

Zweefer · « **Reply #5 on:** August 19, 2015, 08:44:12 am »

Quote from: apisbees on August 19, 2015, 02:58:59 am

iii. Crush and Strain
In the case of wireless or TBH cut off and crush the entire comb On frames of wired foundation scrap the comb off at the foundation with a wood scapula so bees can redraw the comb

Wasn't thinking of TBH either! You lost me on the wood scapula though... To me that means wood shoulder blade. could you elaborate?

Lburou · « **Reply #6 on:** August 19, 2015, 11:05:41 am »

Z...., go to slideshare.com, register, and search for 'honey bee'. You will find complete and polished talks you can download for free. One such presentation is titled 'So you want to be a beekeeper?'. You can download it to your laptop and project the slides to a screen. Written by a Ph.d.

riverbee · « **Reply #7 on:** August 19, 2015, 11:17:25 am »

zweef;
under 'when to harvest'..........2/3 capped cells or "drip test" should be 'shake test'.......well if it drips out before you can shake the frame, that would be a clue as well to not harvest............

Bakersdozen · « **Reply #8 on:** August 19, 2015, 11:17:57 am »

Zweefer, how much time do you have? It's better to have prepared too much info than not enough, and I think that's what you have.
1. I think I would only add wax rendering if you have the available time. Because that is a topic that could fill another demo. I would stress saving the wax cappings, why and how to save though. Honey labeling kind of falls into a category that could be given out at another time or a handout with that info would be a nice touch.
2. Be prepared for questions, questions, questions. You will have a lot. Something you assume is common knowledge will appear in a question.
3. I would stress NOT using cheesecloth. Cheesecloth will leave bits of visible undesirable fiber in the honey.
4. My bee club does not emphasize crush and strain. That method sets the bees back next year. I would encourage using an extractor, why and that crush and strain could be used as a last resort.
5. You might add a calendar time frame for extracting in your part of the country. Encourage timely extraction so that mite tests and treatments can be done on time.
6. Reminder, put your supers back on for the bees to clean up before storing for the season.
7. Have as much equipment there as possible for people to see and see how it is used.
8. Different ways to package honey seems a bit much for beginners. First year keeps are usually happy with a bottle of honey. Comb, creamed, whipped, etc. would make another topic and might create confusion.

Good luck, let us know how it goes!

apisbees · « **Reply #9 on:** August 19, 2015, 12:28:19 pm »

This is with a hive tool but I have seen video of a guy using a flat wood blade about the width of a hive tool and scrap the honey, cells, and cappings off wired wax foundation this same way, saving the foundation to put back in the hive.

With plastic foundation and frames, you don't need to be as careful when scraping. I have seen some messed up combs when the wrong tool was used. to sharp and it will cut thru the foundation to dull and it can rip or tare it.

G3farms · « **Reply #10 on:** August 19, 2015, 12:42:17 pm »

Don't forget to mention what to do with the empty combs that can be used next year also.

apisbees · « **Reply #11 on:** August 19, 2015, 01:13:39 pm »

you can go over the different super options.
10 frame deeps 95 lb
8 frame beeps 65 lb
10 frame Dadant's 63 lb
8 frame Dadant's 48 lb
10 and 8 frame shallow I don't Know what the weight.
And to reemphasize what Bakersdozen posted the value of drawn comb when placed back on the hive so the bees can refill It takes about 2 lbs of wax to draw out a super of deep frames. it takes the bees 8 lb of honey to produce a pound of wax. So the bees will need to convert another 16lb of honey to replace the wax in a deep super of comb, destroyed by crush and strain. 16 lbs of honey at $6.75 a pound the crush and strain done on a super this year will cost them $68.00 in honey for sale next year. It doesn't take many supers of honey to add up to the cost of a new extractor.
$6.75 average retail price of honey reported from bee culture magazine.

apisbees · « **Reply #12 on:** August 19, 2015, 01:17:40 pm »

What G3 said and the storage. If they are going to let mice wax moth or SHB get into them, they may as well crush and strain and at least salvage the 2 lbs of wax

Zweefer · « **Reply #13 on:** August 19, 2015, 01:19:53 pm »

Once again, Thanks!!!

Lburou - that is an awesome resource!!!!

riverbee - nice catch. changed

bakers - not sure how much time i have i think 45 min? You are correct that I am taking the more than i need approach. I had figured i would judge by time, and general feel of the audience in terms of what "extras" were hit. I will mention that crush and strain is least desired method.

G3 - Another member will cover proper storage of equipment / repairs / maintenance , so that will be hit by him.

EDIT - apis posted while I was posting. I will use just that example to make baker's point, thanks

Zweefer · « **Reply #14 on:** August 19, 2015, 01:33:06 pm »

realized i didn't have anything on how to get the supers from the bees, so added a bit on shaking bees, blowing them off, escape boards, and fume boards.

Bakersdozen · « **Reply #15 on:** August 19, 2015, 05:34:30 pm »

Quote from: Zweefer on August 19, 2015, 01:33:06 pm

realized i didn't have anything on how to get the supers from the bees, so added a bit on shaking bees, blowing them off, escape boards, and fume boards.

NO BEE GO! My husband still comments on that several years later.

Zweefer · « **Reply #16 on:** August 20, 2015, 12:24:24 am »

LOL I swear by Honey B Gone, so that is what will be brought in to look at

I just did a dry run through and skipped the honey sales and wax portions, and clocked in at 27 minutes... that along with questions and the extraction demo, I should be good

riverbee · « **Reply #17 on:** August 20, 2015, 12:32:12 pm »

BEE GO?!!! yep bee go alright, be go, be gone, and you will be too and anyone else nearby..........

lol, just tell them the story about the bee go and the buick zweefer..........

efmesch · « **Reply #18 on:** August 20, 2015, 03:19:15 pm »

You might mention that, when filling the containers with honey, it pours silently. If you look away for a moment, you can easily over fill your containers because there is no sound to warn you when you reach top.

I think your outline is pretty all-inclusive, and then some. I predict that you won't be able to cover all your material in the time you've been allotted.
It's going to be a great presentation. Wish I could be there to enjoy it with the rest of the keeps.

Zweefer · « **Reply #19 on:** August 20, 2015, 10:54:44 pm »

Thanks ef! I'll add that