Harvesting Honey

(Still Under Construction)

Beekeepers are often asked the same questions, "How many times have you been stung?" (I've really have lost count), "Do bee stings still hurt you?" (YES), "Do your bees know who you are?" (No).

But there is one question they ask that takes more than one word to answer. That question is, "How do you get the honey from the hive and into a jar?"

After we have removed the supers from the colonies we take them to the honey house. Once were inside the honey house, we separate and categorize the supers of honey, according to color. The different colors of honey, represent the different floral sources the bees used to collect the nectar. We always start the extracting process using the lightest honey first.

The bees have covered the honey cone with a thin layer of beeswax. Before the honey can be removed we must "uncap" the frames.

 My Dad and a friend uncapping the frames of honey.

Now that the honey is uncapped, we can place the frames into the extractor. This device will spin the frames forcing the honey out the honey cone. The honey is flung onto the sides of the extractor were gravity pulls it to the bottom.

Extractor spinning the frames

The honey flows through a valve at the bottom of the extractor and into and portable bucket.

Valve at bottom of extractor

From here the honey is sent through a 600 µ strainer (not a filter) and into a settling tank. Inside the settling tank the honey is warmed to about 100°F. The honey is held in the settling tank for several hours then strained through a 200 µ strainer. Now the honey will either go to bulk storage  or sent to a bottling tank.

Settling tank