1st Honey Harvest - - Yay!

[MagicValley]

After about a year and a half, I took my first honey from the hive.  About 3 weeks ago the colony swarmed and I lost about 1/2 the bees.

Yesterday, I went to my beek supplier and bought 2 extra deep frames, intending to take some honey regardless of the stores level.  My advisor there said the hive was probably honey-bound, and that was why they swarmed.

I opened it up, took off the super (which had nothing in it [no wax, nothing] after several months) and looked into the top deep.  At least half the frames were 80% full of the good stuff.  I removed 3 frames and put two new blanks near the center  I didn't look into the lower deep.

I scratched off the caps and the honey is now dripping slowly into a couple steam table trays.

[stella]

That is so cool! Congrats. How does it taste? And dont try to tell me that after all that time that you didnt stick your finger in it immediately. he he he

[MagicValley]

Yes, the finger test happened as soon as some burr comb was in the pan.  Its good, with no particular flower flavors.  It tastes like honey.

It is taking a real long time for the honey to drip out of the scratched open comb.  I was hoping I would not have to destroy the honeycomb.

I just put the first frame in the pre-heated oven at 170F and turned the oven off.  Maybe the honey will heat a bit and get thin enough to run out.

Any suggestions?

[danno]

wax will melt between 145 and 150 so if your oven was over that I know what happened plus those temps will darken it abit.  It will separate though and will still taste great

[MagicValley]

The thermal mass of the honey and wax moderated the 170F oven, which was turned off before the frame was put in.  The wax did not melt.

The honey sure is taking a long time to drip out.

[AllenF]

It is worth the wait.

[MagicValley]

I ended up removing the honeycomb from the frames.  The clean white comb was scraped off into squares with a spatula and slipped into zip-bags, about 3 oz to 4.5 oz per bag.  I took ten bags to my friend's health food store where they are selling the honey-filled comb for $1 per oz.  My cut is 60%.

I crushed the rest of the comb and let the honey drip out through a new nylon paint strainer into a new Lowe's 5-gal paint bucket.

From the 5 deep frames I got right about 12 pints of honey, or ~18 pounds. 

I guess I'll sell 1/2 pint jars for $5 each.

[L Daxon]

Nothing quite as exciting as you first harvest.  Enjoy.  :rainbowflower:

[buzzbee]

Remember that honey comb is tilted slightly upward to keep the nectar in. Turning the frames upside down may have accelerated the removal. :)

[mikecva]

 :cheer: :cheer: :cheer:

[stella]

Yum, yum yum yum yum!

Thank you for sharing how you removed some comb with capped honey. Im going to try that. One day. When I ,too, get my first honey. :roll:

[Kathyp]

if it's properly cured, it won't drip much.  most will be left in the comb.  you are stuck with crush and strain, or mechanical extraction.