My question, is if you are going to dispose of your honey as cut comb honey, why drain it before packaging? Why not let what small amount drains drain into the packaging, and let the consumer have it? That is what I prefer, and how I intend to dispense it.
It is more of a matter of appearance than anything, just my opinion.
I drain it as it doesn't look professional to me otherwise. It's also a whole lot easier dropping it into the 4x4 clear containers when you don't have to worry about honey dripping all over the place.
It's a completely subjective choice, but that's how and why I chose to skin the cat that way.
Maybe try it both ways? I personally like a lot of honey in my honeycomb container, but you could drain in for those customers who don't. Maybe you will get a sense soon of the preferred method and can then go in that direction... If you want to test out 1 container of each type with me, I'll PM you my address :-D
I just answered this on another post, but in case you don't look at it there, honey show standards are that cut comb should be dry in the box, no liquid, no damaged cells on either side of the cut, all dry cappings. These standards are developed because that is how the honey industry wants honey to be presented and honey shows help us as beekeepers learn how to present our honey as professionally as possible.
As I said in the other post, if your recipients want liquid with their comb, then give them/sell them chunk honey which is supposed to have liquid and comb in the jar.
More detail about how to drain in the other post.
Linda T in
Atlanta
I was told in bee school, that honey in the comb, did not have to come out of an approved honey house, as it is not processed. So expecting to go to the cooperative extension farmers market, I called the person running it, to verify that she would allow me to sell it. She said she would have to check with the state agricultural agent, and then she called me back, and told me that he said that it either has to be cut and packaged in a state approved honey house (in which case I believe he is wrong), or to get around the approved honey house I will have to take the full frames to the farmers market, and when I sell a portion, I must cut and package it there in front of the person making the purchase.
back in the day, you used to be able to buy chunk honey in the store. it was sold in a jar full of honey with a big chunk of comb in the middle. that's the way i package mine, although just for family, and that's the way they like it. of course, it's not for show. i put it in any jar i have including old spaghetti sauce jars :-D