Honey pull test / Hive maintenance.

I've had the bees now for 8 months. Watching and learning them is a joy. I've also in this time added 3 more hives. But its my FIRST hive that came from a swarm that is doing the best. I've put 2 supers on - just yesterday decided to put super #3 on with a queen excluder between 2 and 3. Box one had some frames like this in there. As well the 2nd super. I only pulled these out and replaced them with empty frames for my queen to make more brood. Not make honey in the first two boxes. Box three with a queen excluder, means just that, she can't get up there to lay only workers can get up there...

 Only the excess honey will be pulled. 

Crushing the wax comb to get the honey isn't the most elegant way. But it works. :)

When you uncapped you also scrape the wax off the frames. (above is the plastic frame-starts the comb) and though you scrape the comb down to nothing- needs to be done this way since i don't have a spinner to force out the honey by centrifugal force. 

You then just let gravity and some pressing take over. Once that is done you filter 

thru a smaller sieve. And that is it. 

This is my original starter swarm. They are doing great. Though quite angry when taking the honey, i survived the experience. Actually wasn't that bad. I was so focused on the tasks that seeing them on my pant legs or on my arms just didn't phase me. They were back to mellow within the hour.  Here is the link of when i first blogged about them. http://jojosfarmlife.blogspot.com/2013/11/beee-utiful-bees.html

One of the frames I pulled on one side was full of honey, on the other full of honey with some brood in the middle of it. I scraped the honey and comb around the brood. Set it down to later put back in hive, and well.... too late, baby bees were being born right in the house... I tried to scoop the 20 or so up and bring them outside but it was dark and cold by then. 

I hope they survived.

1 full side frame pull of honey- not too shabby. The color is great. Consistency is spot on - thick and smooth. And the taste is very wildflowerish. though a bit sweeter then i 

prefer, i love it. Its my honey from my ladies and therefore delish!

I'm loving it.  Honey. Milk. Eggs. Cheese. 

(If only i could make wine and cigarettes I'd never have to leave the farm.)