The Honey Factory

[R2elk]

i made a 5 gallon batch with family and we got 24 wine bottle, now going to start making two batches (both 5 gallons) of one peach and the other blue berry.

Try it with native plums.

 

[itsasmallfarm]

Try it with native plums.

ooh i never thought of plums! that sounds really good!

only issue is our plum tree died a few years back.

 

[Apis mellifera]

Stomped through the wet snow today before we get the polar plunge here and hit all the colonies with an OAV treatment. All still roaring away, should see minimal loses this year but its still early and anything can happen. Fondant is ready for March if any of them get light on stores.

 

[Sally PB]

I cleared the snow out of in front of the opening. We're about to get really cold -- teens and lows in the single digits.

 

[R2elk]

I cleared the snow out of in front of the opening. We're about to get really cold -- teens and lows in the single digits.

I had -34⁰F this morning. Obviously no visible bee activity.

 

[Sally PB]

When I said I cleared the snow in front of the opening, this is what I did: There was a drift about 6" tall stacked up, and it went right up to the hive. I cleared out about 3" away from the hive, but left the drift as a wind block.

Should I clear the drift out totally? I know they won't be leaving the hive any time soon.

 

[R2elk]

When I said I cleared the snow in front of the opening, this is what I did: There was a drift about 6" tall stacked up, and it went right up to the hive. I cleared out about 3" away from the hive, but left the drift as a wind block.

Should I clear the drift out totally? I know they won't be leaving the hive any time soon.

As long as there is an opening in front of the entrance and at the top vent, I would leave it alone.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Stomped through the wet snow today before we get the polar plunge here and hit all the colonies with an OAV treatment. All still roaring away, should see minimal loses this year but its still early and anything can happen. Fondant is ready for March if any of them get light on stores.

Which do you use? I finally picked up JohnO's pallet vap late fall and an inverter. The bugger with that is I learned inverters stop working as soon as the battery power is below 11 volts. Have to hook direct to the truck and keep the engine running.

Yesterday was the second high wind storm in a week with rain. I've got to do a drive by soon to ensure everything is standing up. Lost a roof panel on the barn. Seriously, I can't find it.

 

[5Australorpasaures]

SNOW! I don-t know what you're talking about. I haven't seen a flurry here in Jersey. Day temps have been high 40s, 50s to one day .61. Bees are taking water to the hive so I know it's dry inside. Still heavy stores but 2/3 wks of 30s and below. Have the 10 LB sugar block molded in the feeder screen just in case. Boxes are made and painted and getting the frame jig down to start putting them (PREMIER) them together. Going to pick up a case of pollen patties and Varroa strips one day this week. Looking forward to making some splits.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

If you feed pollen sub I strongly suggest you feed it dry or make your own patties. The added cost for them to add 66% by weight of sugar and water gets expensive. I mean, you can get a 40 lbs bag of dry sub for $100 or less yet 40 lbs of patties is $90 and that's only about 13 lbs of pollen sub. Sugar is cheap. Veg. oil is to keep the patties from drying out in the hive.

2.5 lbs sugar, approx. 6 cups
2 cups of HOT (boiling) water
1/4 cup of oil (vegetable, corn, canola, etc)
1.5-1.75 lb UltraBee pollen substitute

Yields 5.25 pounds of soft patty.

Add sugar and HOT water to mixing bowl, add oil, then as it mixes
slowly add the pollen substitute to desired consistency. Mix well and store in an airtight container. You can roll this out between parchment paper for patties or just scoop onto top bars and press down the inner cover.