Harvesting Chunk Honey - new video

[tillie]

I just put a video up on my blog about how to harvest chunk honey - chunk honey is honeycomb in a jar surrounded by liquid honey - it's messy, delicious, and a fun way to put up the honey.

Here's the link:

http://beekeeperlinda.blogspot.com/2007/06/harvesting-chunk-honey.html

Linda T in Atlanta covered with sticky honey

[DayValleyDahlias]

Love it...another great video!

You use thin surplus, or did the bees draw that comb?  I can't recall... :roll:

Thanks again for teaching us*

[tillie]

On those frames, the bees drew the comb from remnants of comb left from last year.  I didn't give them anything for foundation.  They still made pretty comb, didn't they?

Thanks for looking at it,

Linda T in Atlanta

[Kathyp]

that's really super.  you make it look so easy.  i was covered in honey last year, as was my kitchen, cat, etc..... :-)

[Mici]

tillie, you don't heat glasses or anything to get it stick to it (asorry, for writting i'm not in best shape)
bees will glue it to the glass:
http://www.storzek.net/cebelarstvo-ma-ja/
click the "pridelava medu v satju s sokom rdeče pese"

[tillie]

Mici, that looks like a system someone demonstrated at my bee club where you put the jars in the hive for the bees to fill like they do Ross rounds....but if you are harvesting chunks you DO have to figure out some way to get it to stay down if you want your jar to look "perfect" for the honey judges. 

One member of my bee club heats the jars; another drips wax onto the bottom just as he puts the chunk in the jar (another use for the lovely wax tube fastener). 

Personally for me, it's more trouble than it's worth as they say, but last year without having the comb stuck to the bottom of the jar, my chunk honey came in second place at the Metro Atlanta Beekeepers annual honey contest - so it must not have mattered too much that it floats up  :-D :-D

Linda T in Atlanta

[rayb]

Hi, Great video. Is there any concern for the glass jars cracking while freezing?
     If you sell it, may I ask how much you get for it?


Thanks, Ray

[tillie]

Thanks for watching it, Ray, and everybody else.

I guess the jars might crack if there were no room in the jar, but there's a little air space between the top of the honey and the jar lid.  None of them cracked last year.  Of course, you could freeze the frames before harvesting, but I didn't do that either this year or last year. 

I don't sell my honey so I don't know what chunk honey brings....maybe someone else could chime in about that. 

Linda T in Atlanta where we have NO RAIN

[rdy-b]

the video is great and your blog is first class also :) was my pleasure and enjoyed it very much. RDY-B

[Mici]

I think it's the easyest way to do it like he did, it's the prettiest. he even won a prize:
http://www.aulaapicolazuqueca.com/

[Kirk-o]

What a great video Tillie
kirko

[Cindi]

Linda, love your blog, you are something else.  I was wondering about the wax melter.  Why doesn't the paper towel give way when you put the wax cappings on top of it?  Wouldn't the paper towel get soggy and burst through?  Curious about that one.  Have a wonderful day, great life, keep on with your blog, it is so entertaining and I surely wonder how you do it all.  ;) Cindi

[annette]

My beekeeping mentor here in the Sacramento Area sells his comb honey for $6.00 per lb. He also freezes it after placing it in little flat containers.

Loved the video
Annette

[Michael Bush]

Very nice video.  I never understand the reasons for the "rules" at a honey show.  I always just cut the comb to fit and the lid held it down.  Why would you do it any other way?  Comb floats so it IS going to touch the top unless you glue it down.  Such artificial constraints seem so ridiculous.

[soilserf40]

Yet another good video.

Guess I wont be entering any honey shows -- aint gonna glue comb to jar bottoms! :roll:

[Brian D. Bray]

IMHO, your video's make you one of the most valuable members on this forum.  Good Show!

[tillie]

Thank you, Brian, I'm honored! 

Almost everything I've ever learned to do, I had to learn on my own from reading books about the subject.  I've read lots on beekeeping, but nothing substitutes for hands-on experience. 

Last year without this forum I would have been as they say in the South "up the creek without a paddle."  I have relied on the wisdom of people like you and Michael Bush and doak and Robo and all those who take the time to share your experience with us newbees.  I have experienced beekeepers here in Atlanta, but none of them that I know are using starter strips, most of them use extractors, etc. so they aren't sources of help when I want to try something new.

I'd much rather learn by watching someone else do whatever it is, so these videos are my effort to make that happen for someone else since nobody showed me and I wish they had.  And besides I have fun making them  ;) ;) ;)

Linda T in Atlanta

[mick]

Great video Linda! very similar to what I do but I make more mess. Silicon mat, gotta get me one of those for sure.

Interesting accent you got there, almost some Aussie in it!

[tillie]

Thanks, Mick, no Aussie. 

All deep South - I grew up in Mississippi, spent 14 years in Nashville, TN going to college, etc., and I've now been in Atlanta for the last 20 something years - one of my daughters spent some time backpacking in Australia and I've always wanted to go.

The mat is a great help in doing crush and strain because it's so easy to lift the mat up and empty it into the bucket.  I have done it straight into the large roasting pan, but it has corners and I think I get more honey off of the mat than when I use only the pan and have to figure out how to clean out the corners. 

The one I use is a flexible cutting board that I bought at the DeKalb Farmer's Market in Atlanta.  Looks like Amazon has them in multi colors:
http://www.amazon.com/MIU-Flexible-Cutting-Board-pack/dp/B00011RTE8

Hope that helps,

Linda T in Atlanta

[wtiger]

love the video and all the others you've made.  They're very handy for a beginner to see just how you do stuff.  Just curious.  What kind of flower is that in your avatar?  I've seen them about witha few bees on them, but don't know what they're called.