10-18-2021 Planning Commission Packet

Home Browse Search

Extraction Procedure • Ideally, extract the honey the same day it is removed from the hive. Within a few days is fine. The • honey will still be warm from the colony if it is extracted right away. Honey stored in the comb readily absorbs moisture. • Any honey held for extraction should be kept in a warm, dry room >80°F and <50% humidity. Make sure your honey supers are in a bee-tight area, otherwise nearby bees may find and rob the honey. • If your colonies have hive beetles, extract the honey within 3 days of harvesting it to avoid a disgusting mess, especially if there is any pollen or brood in the supers. Hive beetles are attracted to pollen and brood and may lay eggs in them. Without the bees to patrol, the hive beetle eggs may hatch into larvae that can destroy the honey. • The room you are extracting in should be warm (ideally >84°F) so that the honey stays warm. Warm honey will spin out of the comb and go through the strainer easily. • First, remove the wax cappings from the combs, then put the frames into the extractor. You must uncap all of the honey cells. If the knife does not open all of the cells, use a capping scratcher to open them. • When the extractor is full, start it up. You want the basket to turn slowly at first then pick up speed as the frames empty. If you are using a tangential extractor, partially extract one side of the frames, turn them around, extract the other side; then turn them around again and finish the first side. Depending on the temperature, moisture content of the honey, and the spinning speed, the frames may need to be spun for 3 or up to 20 minutes per side. If you try to hurry by spinning fast, you may damage the combs. • When honey has accumulated in the bottom of the extractor, open the honey gate and strain the honey into your container. This container may be your settling tank for bottling (see below) or a storage bucket for bottling later. If honey gets too high in the bottom of the extractor, the spinning frames may whip the honey and change its consistency by adding air bubbles. • • After the honey is extracted, return the frames to their supers. They can be stored "wet" or they can be put on the colony above the inner cover for a couple of days for the bees to clean out any remaining honey. Supers should not be left exposed in the apiary, as this will incite robbing. • Store the supers in an unheated building to prevent wax moth damage. Precautions should be taken to prevent mouse damage by making sure there are no holes for mice to get in. If you are planning to sell your honey, check on current state labeling requirements. At a minimum, the label should have your name and address or phone number, the grade (A), the quantity (honey is normally sold by the pound) and the word "HONEY."Apply the label and sell. • Beekeeping in Northern Climates 66