Anyone harvested yet this season?

bernsad · November 17, 2013, 11:14:44 PM

After last year's dismal season in Victoria (didn't get anything), I've manage to pull a modest 25kg off 2 hives the other day. I think it's got a good portion of ironbark in it, it tastes similar to the yellowbox of 2 years ago but is a darker colour.

prestonpaul · November 18, 2013, 12:21:18 AM

Nothing yet out at the Otways, it's been too cold and wet for the bees to fly much. Hopefully that will change soon. The Black berries will start flowering and then we will be good to go. Our. Season always seems to be a bit behind Melbourne and the north but this year especially so due to the wet spring we have had. I think it's going to be a ripper when it does take off though.

rawfind · November 18, 2013, 12:58:23 AM

Quote from: bernsad on November 17, 2013, 11:14:44 PM
After last year's dismal season in Victoria (didn't get anything), I've manage to pull a modest 25kg off 2 hives the other day. I think it's got a good portion of ironbark in it, it tastes similar to the yellowbox of 2 years ago but is a darker colour.

The hives are filling up not quite there yet but took 3 frames so i had some for myself had quite a bit of weight in them its slowly draining as we speak, im thinking it will be really good this year too, patersons curse is all over the place too.

Anybrew · November 18, 2013, 01:09:12 AM

I pulled 40 frames over a month ago as the girls had been working Patterson Curse hard. They have slowed down to an almost crawl at the moment as it has darn hot and dry this way.
Hopefully it will rain this way soon to stimulate some growth.

SamboRoberts · November 18, 2013, 06:54:54 AM

Not me, I just got my first hive going at the start of this month. I'm hoping to get some early in the new year. At this stage, I'm more concerned with increasing the colony size.

bernsad · November 18, 2013, 05:15:32 PM

How much honey did you get from the 40 frames, Anybrew?

Anybrew · November 18, 2013, 07:54:34 PM

Hey bernsad, um four 20 litre honey buckets roughly not sure on the exact weight.
I thought I would be robbing now ishhh but no go.

Cheers
Steve

rawfind · November 19, 2013, 02:03:51 AM

Quote from: Anybrew on November 18, 2013, 01:09:12 AM
I pulled 40 frames over a month ago as the girls had been working Patterson Curse hard. They have slowed down to an almost crawl at the moment as it has darn hot and dry this way.
Hopefully it will rain this way soon to stimulate some growth.

Does the paterson curse candy fast?

Anybrew · November 19, 2013, 06:44:57 AM

YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

JEK · November 19, 2013, 07:45:22 AM

I'm in Western Sydney and it has been a little slow as it was very dry (no rain) until recently, are other people in Sydney experiencing the same?

ShaneJ · November 20, 2013, 09:05:59 PM

Its flowing fast around my area at the moment. I don't accurately keep track of how much I extract but I'm guessing I get about 220kg a month from the 30 - 40 hives I have in my back yard.

bernsad · November 20, 2013, 09:27:13 PM

Gees Shane, I reckon you're making the rest of us jealous. You must have some good markets to offload that much honey, or is it all stockpiling at home?

ShaneJ · November 21, 2013, 11:14:25 PM

Unfortunately I don't have any good buyers at the moment so I just sell it cheap to the wholesalers :(