When to harvest the almost-ready honey frames?

TwoHoneys · May 24, 2012, 08:00:09 AM

It's time to think about when to harvest this honey.

A number of frames in several of my hives are capped on one side but open on the other.

Or, 2/3 of a frame is capped, and 1/3 uncapped.

Or, lots of beautiful capped honey with some drones still brooding in their cells on the same frame.

It's not as if I found any full frames of completely capped honey...so, how long should I wait before harvesting? I keep thinking that if I wait too long, it'll all disappear.

-Liz

D Coates · May 24, 2012, 10:14:52 AM

If it disappears then they needed it. I wait for until July 4th for the main harvest. Your flow should just now be starting so I'd hold off until summer finishes off the flowers.

bud1 · May 24, 2012, 06:23:08 PM

give it a hard shake, if nothing comes out it is ok

yockey5 · May 24, 2012, 07:32:34 PM

A few drone brood adds protein!

BrentX · May 24, 2012, 07:40:21 PM

Last year it seemed to take forever for those almost capped frames to be completed. Finally all was ready in early July. I prefer honey I am going to sell to be at least 90 percent capped...maybe that's just silly, but I get premium price for my honey and do everything I can to yield the highest quality possible.

But I would not hesitate to sample some less fully developed honey for personal use.

TwoHoneys · May 24, 2012, 08:19:07 PM

Quote from: bud1 on May 24, 2012, 06:23:08 PM
give it a hard shake, if nothing comes out it is ok

Perfect! This is the kind of suggestion I can sink my teeth into. Thanks, Bud (and all).

-Liz

Finski · May 24, 2012, 11:44:13 PM

.
Add a new box between honey box and brood box.
Let the bees cap the honey. That is that basic idea.

When bees cap one box, they need 2 box more where they dry up the nectar.

It is better to have the whole box or two cappad honey before you extract.

Much honey will remain in process that uncapping tray, extractor, sieve, and all stuff will be creased with honey.

Thing are not OK if you count every frame how much they are capped.
.

beehappy1950 · May 25, 2012, 10:02:59 PM

I dont usually do any extracting till the last of august. But 2 years ago I was wondering what to do with a lot of uncapped honey. So since I am not a big honey producer I had time to pick out some of them frames and run them thru the extractor without uncapping the capped stuff. I had some really nice but thin honey that my wife used for cooking to use it up quick. That way all of my salable honey was definitely good. Harold