chunk honey: uncap or not?

[pistolpete]

I have 4 deep frames of comb honey.  I plan on making chunk honey with it.  I've never seen what chunk honey looks like.  Do you uncap the comb or not.   Is the comb supposed to pretty much span the entire jar or be just a decorative strip in the middle?

[Zweefer]

https://img0.etsystatic.com/006/0/6720257/il_570xN.360384078_fev1.jpg

http://media.truelocal.com.au/1/5/18DEF373-2910-4204-95FB-2C4E28F5F495/1352077551439_500gCutChunkCombHoney-938x704.jpg

[pistolpete]

thanks zweefer, but I looked at like a 100 images on google.  I was just wondering if there is some sort of standard presentation what people consider appealing.  Along the same vein: should I do chunk honey or just cut comb?  The frames are good enough for either.

[apisbees]

So glad you asked. This is what we look for when it is presented for judging. These guidelines were assembled from the practices of the best displayed chunk honeys of the time when chunk honey was a popular way of selling honey. It is a beautiful product that attracts great interest. Some beekeepers cut the 4"X5" pieces of comb that are fully capped and sell them in trays as comb honey and the pieces that are not fully caped on both sides or are smaller get put in jars for chunk honey.
No you do not uncap it, it is best presented in a wide mouth jar so larger pieces can be inserted. How much comb honey you place in the jar is up to you, but the standard that is used and the configuration of the honey comb in the jars when presented to the fair for judging is 3 pieces in the jar arranged in a triangle, in this configuration the jars will closely look the same regardless of how they are arranged. It is recommended that the liquid honey pored around the honey comb be the same honey that is in the honey comb, not honey from a different bee yard if the honey looks like a different nectar source, color and density. The liquid honey should be enough that it covers the top of the comb which in itself creates a problem as the honey comb sections will float because wax is lighter than the honey.

[Riverrat]

I make chunk honey using frames from my cut comb honey production. I have never uncapped for chunk honey. But you may consider it if the comb is travel stained up.  If you use the same method for chunk honey as cut comb the capping should be a nice white color.

[Zweefer]

I would love to see pictures when you do make some!

[pistolpete]

My harvest will be on August 30/31.  Looks promising so far, I'm expecting about 350 lbs from 3 hives.   I was worried for a while, because I pulled a lot of Nucs this spring, but the ladies put in a huge effort in August.

[Jen]

That's what's happening with my bees Pete.. definate flow.

When you make chunk honey, do you use a shallows or mediums?

[Riverrat]

When you make chunk honey, do you use a shallows or mediums?

I use shallows for cut comb and chunk honey.

[CpnObvious]

I'm expecting about 350 lbs from 3 hives.

I assume that's not the norm?  Not quite sure what I'd do with THAT much!  I guess I won't worry about that until next year, I won't be getting any this year.

[Jen]

If I had that much I would consign it to a local mom and pop shop. That would be a great gift any time of the year.

[apisbees]

As Pete said he split heavy in the spring, in his area of the province the yearly average should be 175 to 200 lbs. So from 3 hives split enough to prevent swarming but timed for buildup to coincide with the honey flow he should get yields of 500 to 600lbs of honey.
River rat is correct in suggesting the use of shallows for comb honey production. It requires less time for the super to be on the hive and this relates to the bees walking on the comb depositing bits of propolise and causing travel stains and discoloration on the wax. The extent to which the cappings become stained is effected by the honey flow. If the bees are in a good long flow they have no problem producing beautiful comb in a medium but if the flows slow, by the time the bees get the frame filled and caped the capping can be stained. 

[pistolpete]

I used foundationless deep frames.  I only have deep equipment.  I put them in between two drawn frames and kept the super with these frames on top of the stack to keep the traffic down. 

Apis is right, 200 lbs/hive is about average around here.  I'm getting a bit over 100.   I reduced my hives to Nuc strength when I was selling Nucs at the end of May.  I figured 600+ lbs was too much honey to deal with, so this was part of my strategy.   

Jen, pretty much all of that honey is already spoken for by previous customers.  Not hard to sell a couple of hundred lbs.

[riverbee]

best wishes to ya pete on the harvest, apis and rivverat with great advice on however you fill your jars, cap or uncap.  if it were me, (i don't uncap but keep these frames white or relatively free of travel stain) i would use one large chunk to fill top to bottom, tight, otherwise, the comb floats up a bit;  wide mouth jar, as apis said, but i have done as apis has suggested, 3 chunks, with leftovers cut from comb honey frames, that weren't quite suitable for comb honey.  maybe do both, a little comb honey and a little chunk honey?  good luck!  either way you can't go wrong, and your customers will love it!

[jb63]

Sounds good Pete,my cut comb didn't make it to the jars.I did about 5 med. frames.As soon as I found them capped they got extracted in my mouth.And then after about half a frame I washed my face off and shared them with my neighbors.I have a Russian lady next door and she thinks I'm king of the world when I show up with a plate of cut comb.The less experienced people ask "what do I do with it?" she knows what to do.

[riverbee]

"As soon as I found them capped they got extracted in my mouth.And then after about half a frame I washed my face off and shared them with my neighbors."

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