Beekeeping

[Mackka]

Hey Les after all the discussions and your magnificent photos, I have decided never to have bees but I will always support the growers at the local markets.
IBS diet says no honey however I say, What would they know !
Mackka layful: layful:

 

[Lesgold]

Everything in moderation Mackka. Thats the secret. Just finished a JD. Might follow it with a Bundy. A glass of red with dinner.... Everything in moderation....

 

[Lesgold]

Hi Folks,

Had a quick check of the frame containing the rounds to see what the bees have been up to. They have taken to the wax starter strips and are now building their own comb. Hopefully in about a weeks time they should have most of the rounds filled with comb and then the honey can be added. Will keep you posted.

Cheers

Les

 

[Mackka]

Lookin good Les, lookin gooooood. layful:
Mackka

 

[Solid Luck]

Finally packaged the lot I harvested. All tubs are over 1kg, some are close to 1.2kg. You can see how thick it is.

 

[Tathradj]

Not a rude question but how much is 1 Kilo worth. ?
You may reply via PM if you wish.

 

[Lesgold]

Nice little haul there Hard Luck. Youd be working an extractor quite hard to get that honey out. Cold pressing is the way to go when its that thick. Bet the flavour is awesome.

 

[Solid Luck]

Not a rude question but how much is 1 Kilo worth. ?
You may reply via PM if you wish.

I sell mine for $30 tub Tathradj.

 

[Solid Luck]

Nice little haul there Hard Luck. Youd be working an extractor quite hard to get that honey out. Cold pressing is the way to go when its that thick. Bet the flavour is awesome.

Yeah Les. Flavour is awesome. Makes me wonder at times how some of the honey is so viscous. I only cold press cause I do small batches. This stuff will crystalise very quickly as it usually does.

 

[Campfish4x4]

Hi fellas is there a way that some products are watered down as to say i was buying my honey from a local seller and it has changed it is really runny and a lot sweeter than usaul thanks in advance for replys

 

[Lesgold]

Hi Campfish,

That is possible but generally your local beekeepers should be pretty good. They realise that there is a good market for unprocessed honey and they would be silly to jeopardise that. Like red wines, honeys are quite variable. Ive never had anything like what Hard Luck is getting from his bees and never will. He lives in a different region and the trees that provide the nectar wouldnt grow in my area. Some honeys are very dark and some are extremely light in colour. Sweetness and density will vary from season to season. At the moment my bees are working the ironbark trees. The honey is very light in colour, very runny and also quite sweet. In six months time the same bees will be working the flowers of the spotted gums and the resulting honey will be dense, much darker and have a totally different flavour. Just ask your beekeeper about the honey you are buying. Im sure that they will tell you everything that you want to know.

Cheers

Les

 

[Northeast]

Hard Luck - that stuff looks awesome

Also - in reference to what Lesgold is saying about different blossom and densities, etc - what blossom where the bees on to produce that honey?

 

[Lesgold]

Should have asked the same question NE. Would love to try that on my wheatbix of a morning.

 

[Solid Luck]

Hard Luck - that stuff looks awesome

Also - in reference to what Lesgold is saying about different blossom and densities, etc - what blossom where the bees on to produce that honey?

errmmm..not sure.
I have 4 hives in an olive grove that is certified organic. But bees travel so i wouldn't say my honey is organic. On one side of the grove there is a housing development and another one is going up on the other side now.
Suburban blossom? Not sure people. One year they made this nearly black honey and it was dreadful. Started off with a great taste but finished up awful.
I found one buyer that loved it and bought it all.
Not sure where mine scrounge. I don't move them, but they still produce.

 

[Lesgold]

A bit of a warm and humid day today. Looks like you guys in Vic. are sending us a bit of rain.

As a hive grows during the spring build up, the bees have to work harder to keep the hive temperature under control. A beehive is generally kept at about 35 degrees during the summer and winter. The experts say that a hive can get up to around 39 during the heat of summer but the bees try hard to keep the temperature below this. Quite often the bigger hives send a few of the girls outside to help reduce numbers but also to aid in the fanning of the hive. Bees are pretty good at controlling the climate by using their body temperature and also by controlling the internal movement of air throughout the hive. Took a shot of one of the larger hives with a beard hanging out the front. It gives a good indication of the strength of the hive and therefore it will be one to watch closely over the next week as swarming may result due to overcrowding.

 

[Campfish4x4]

Hard Luck - that stuff looks awesome

Also - in reference to what Lesgold is saying about different blossom and densities, etc - what blossom where the bees on to produce that honey?

im not to sure ill ask next batch i get cheers fellas

 

[Lesgold]

All good Campfish. As long as you enjoy the honey you are eating. Thats the most important point. If you dont like it, go to a different supplier.

Cheers

Les

 

[liliane]

Hi Folks

Theres a lot of talented people on this forum who talk about all kinds of stuff. People are cooking stuff, buying stuff, making stuff and growing stuff. Something that I like doing apart from chasing yella is to chase the buzzy little yella critters. I assume that there would be a bunch of you who also keep a few bees. Its a fascinating hobby that sucks you in and takes a lot of time and effort. (Quite like another hobby that we all share) So why not start a thread for people to discuss whats happening in the world of bees. Hows your spring build up going? Many swarms in your area? Whats flowering at the moment? Would you like to share some ideas? And so it goes on.......... You may have an interest in bees and dont know where to start. This could be the place to initiate all sorts of discussions related to the sweet gold that we love to put on our toast. It may be a topic that dies within six weeks (the life of a worker bee during the warmer months) or it could be something that buzzes along for a summer long honey flow. Lets see what we can share.

Cheers

Les

hello bee lover, I guess that's a good idea, we can all get interested in the yellow creatures , after all they make us honey

 

[MegsyB007]

Here's a question for the honey producers. About 15 years ago, I had some honey that made my throat slam closed and I started choking, gasping for air. I'd never had an allergic reaction to honey before, and this was completely out of the blue. It was a known brand that I'd bought before, but this one was bad! Fortunately I had a bottle of Vodka in the freezer and had a slug of that, which opened the airway and I could breathe and was fine after it. That was the only reaction to it.
Can any of you explain why this may have happened? I've been wary of honey ever since that surprise attack, and I love honey!

 

[Lesgold]

Not sure about that one Megsy. Could be that you have an allergy to a particular plant that the bees may have been collecting pollen and nectar from. The large companies blend their honeys and filter them to remove any impurities such as fine particles of pollen and wax. Have you tried any honey since that time? Thank goodness for the vodka. May have to buy a bottle or two (for medicinal purposes).