Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => GENERAL BEEKEEPING - MAIN POSTING FORUM. => Topic started by: colbees on July 02, 2012, 09:11:07 PM

Title: honey harvest
Post by: colbees on July 02, 2012, 09:11:07 PM
are you supposed to harvest all of your honey at the end of summer, or do you harvest each box as it fills?
Title: Re: honey harvest
Post by: AllenF on July 02, 2012, 09:14:38 PM
It all depends.   Here in the South, we pull it.   SHB are a problem.   Also, now we are in a dearth with the honey season over with.   Fall honey can be left for the bees for winter here.   
Title: Re: honey harvest
Post by: D Coates on July 03, 2012, 10:27:24 AM
Harvest how you want.  I harvest two to three times depending on hive streingth, flow, and weather.  Normally I harvest only twice a year, (July 4th and Labor Day weekend).  I keep them separate and and label and sell them as varietal honey.  It allows you to offer something unique.
Title: Re: honey harvest
Post by: Joe D on July 03, 2012, 11:14:56 AM
It is a personal thing as with most of how we keep our bees.  I harvest in may, late july or early aug.  I may get some later in the fall, but I always leave some just in case.  Last winter and spring I mixed up 3 or 4 gals total of sugar syrup for 3 hives.
It is their honey, and I don't want to have to feed unless necessary.



Joe
Title: Re: honey harvest
Post by: danno on July 03, 2012, 02:37:25 PM
I usually harvest when I see the first goldenrod
Title: Re: honey harvest
Post by: tefer2 on July 03, 2012, 08:40:16 PM
We try to get it off the second week or third week of August. That could be a few weeks early this year.
There is going to be less if we don't get some rain soon. White sweet clover is in full bloom now. The Dutch clover pretty much burned up on us.
Title: Re: honey harvest
Post by: jtow on July 03, 2012, 10:02:59 PM
Mid July here, before the bees get into a local weed/herb called Bitterweed which makes the honey taste bad.