Author Topic: How's your honey flow? (Read 12969 times)

brooksbeefarm · « **on:** July 14, 2014, 12:18:31 pm »

I only robbed 3 hives last Sat. and only got 4 med. supers of capped honey (tested 17.5) all three hives had 3 med. supers each on them and one of the med. supers on top of two hives had been cleaned but nothing in them. These are strong hives and had a good honey flow weather this year? Woody said his honey was in short supply this year also and he's about 35 miles from me. I think maybe i had some swarming that i wasn't aware of earlier? when i robbed these hives they were bearding on front of there hives like there was a dearth on, but my neighbors alfalfa across the road has been in bloom for almost two weeks, sumac is blooming and still alot of dutch clover blooming.The 90+F and humidity the last week probably had something to do with it, it kept putting me in the shade to.

Jack

Perry · « **Reply #1 on:** July 14, 2014, 12:22:19 pm »

Strong clover flow here at the moment. Because I didn't move my hives and just sold nucs, they got too strong and I lost some to swarming, but because of that I have had to add a third super to some. I just pulled 3 mediums this am so I have some for a wedding party, and there seems to be a lot more where that came from.

Woody Roberts · « **Reply #2 on:** July 14, 2014, 12:42:03 pm »

Jack
My bees are all over the white clover but don't seem to be putting anything up. The buck brush is loaded with buds that should bloom pretty quick.

In the past when white clover was blooming at the same time as Buckbrush the bees just stayed on the clover. I hope that don't happen this year.

Sometimes their loyalty to a nectar source is not a good thing.

Jen · « **Reply #3 on:** July 14, 2014, 01:03:41 pm »

Perry- Sounds like bragging rights to me

I'm green with envy

JUDELT · « **Reply #4 on:** July 14, 2014, 02:47:19 pm »

On Saturday checked to see if mine were filling the supers and finally had to add a super to my last and smallest swarm hive! the other 2 have 2 supers, ea. My one old hive, where I got my spring crop, has almost filled a super! the cotton field in front of us has a few blooms and lots of buds! Hopefully that will get them busy ,again!

barry42001 · « **Reply #5 on:** July 14, 2014, 03:41:55 pm »

So far I have about one and a half deep supers expect to have them filled out before the end of the season, being first year hives I wasn't expecting a surplus I was just expecting I have all the wax comb drawn, is a very pleasant surprise:P;D;D

Slowmodem · « **Reply #6 on:** July 14, 2014, 05:37:12 pm »

After the polar vortex arrives in a day or two, I'm going to look into my two hives. They both swarmed this year, but looking at the bearding, they've not wasted any time building back up. There was a medium nearly full of honey the last time I looked into both hives, and I put another super on both about a month ago. Hopefully, there'll be enough to run the extractor.

blueblood · « **Reply #7 on:** July 14, 2014, 06:01:14 pm »

The flow seems to be on like donkey kong around here.

rodmaker · « **Reply #8 on:** July 14, 2014, 06:12:24 pm »

Not much flow here in central California due to drought. As a matter of fact i am having a hard time getting the bees to build numbers.Even the hives i am feeding seem to know better and won't build up knowing there is no nectar. Said all this t say i think i will be lucky if i can feed and keep the hives alive until we finally get some rain.

Jen · « **Reply #9 on:** July 14, 2014, 07:05:04 pm »

I hear ya Rod- my hives have had to work hard to get the numbers up. Like you, if I don't get any honey this year, I won't complain if I can keep my four hives alive over the winter. Frankly, tho, I don't see how this draught is going to be any better next summer either.

Maybe next year will be better for us. Meanwhile, I'm buying honey from some of the members here on the forum. I love our local Star Thistle honey, but it fun to see how honey tastes different from across the country.

I'll get back to ya on your question of what kind of wild blackberries we have here, I'll be visiting the farmers market Weds and asking our local bee guru what's going on in our fields.

Slowmodem · « **Reply #10 on:** July 14, 2014, 07:33:59 pm »

Quote from: blueblood on July 14, 2014, 06:01:14 pm

The flow seems to be on like donkey kong around here.

You should have a high temperature in the low 70s tomorrow. Enjoy the polar vortex!

kebee · « **Reply #11 on:** July 14, 2014, 07:40:04 pm »

I am pulling 3 or 4 mediums of 8 frames this week end, the girls are still putting it away, don't know from what but the bees are out full time from morning to night.

Ken

rcannon · « **Reply #12 on:** July 14, 2014, 08:47:32 pm »

The flow's pretty much over here. And the robbing's starting.

Bakersdozen · « **Reply #13 on:** July 14, 2014, 09:50:03 pm »

The three hives at the house are still working hard. I have 4 full supers between two hives. My split is trying to start building comb. The other three hives I have out by Clinton Lake, Lawrence, KS are not doing as strongly. Two were packages and one of those hasn't filled out the second brood box. I fed the packages up until 3 weeks ago when I went on vacation. I have one full super on a colony that was a split last year. My niece's colony, sitting with my three looks like they are about to starve when I looked at them today. She is going to pull some frames of honey out of the freezer and put in the brood boxes.

Jen · « **Reply #14 on:** July 14, 2014, 10:17:46 pm »

Baker- "My niece's colony, sitting with my three looks like they are about to starve when I looked at them today. She is going to pull some frames of honey out of the freezer and put in the brood boxes.

I'll be doing that too this year, storing extra frames of honey in the freezer

tecumseh · « **Reply #15 on:** July 14, 2014, 10:45:56 pm »

and I need to go looking for 5 gallon food grade buckets. anyone know where I can purchase 50 at a reasonable price. walley mart no longer want to give or sell these to customers. how is my honey crop going? hope my back holds out to I get it all in the pail.

Jen · « **Reply #16 on:** July 14, 2014, 10:49:06 pm »

Walley mart is turning into a joke!

Tec, you might try any of the bakeries in your area, often the get frosting and custard type food in those 5 gallon buckets, you'll get a lid as well

Slowmodem · « **Reply #17 on:** July 14, 2014, 11:12:43 pm »

Quote from: tecumseh on July 14, 2014, 10:45:56 pm

and I need to go looking for 5 gallon food grade buckets. anyone know where I can purchase 50 at a reasonable price. walley mart no longer want to give or sell these to customers. how is my honey crop going? hope my back holds out to I get it all in the pail.

Lowe's used to sell food-grade buckets. I think they still do.

LazyBkpr · « **Reply #18 on:** July 14, 2014, 11:47:36 pm »

I cut out some comb today that was wonky and tossed it off beside the hives while I worked.. No, it wasnt from my foundationless, it was comb the bees tried to draw off to the side of a brand new piece of plastic foundation... After getting it OUT, I popped the plastic out and tossed it over by the dripping comb laying in the grass and gave them back the frame.. NOT that I dont occasionally have issues with foundation-less.. but the point is, after getting the nucs set up and picking everything up, I figured I had better dispose of the comb.. It was leaking honey on the grass, and it had about a dozen bees on it... after about two hours? So I am betting we still have a decent flow in progress..
Also making plans to plant about 6 acres with Hubam CLover and Sainfoin next year.. Really looking forward to seeing what difference having that much forage will make to the bees. If it works out well I may plant another 30 acres of it.. Major benefit is that I can cut and bail it twice a year. Once when the Sainfoin bloom is about done, and then in the fall when the temps start to drop. That should add significantly to the "flow" here at the house.

pistolpete · « **Reply #19 on:** July 14, 2014, 11:48:06 pm »

I was in the middle of the strongest flow of the year. Alfa Alfa mostly. The bees were pretty much adding 5 LBS of honey to the hive every single day. But it hasn't rained in two weeks and we've been hit with a heat wave (36 to 38 celsius) that's brought things to a screeching halt.