HarvestEach apiary is harvested separately with every super identified by apiary and hive.
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Essential suppliesContainers, strainers, refreshments, supplies, and first aid, all on hand.
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Equipment setupCleanliness is essential. Everywhere is steam cleaned and surfaces are covered to contain the inevitable stickiness.
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Sort frames and uncapFrames are sorted by weight, cappings are removed, and the prepared frame is put into the extractor. All cappings drain into a single bucket. Each hive's harvest is extracted separately as far as possible.
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Extract areaAn electric extractor takes the strain out of spinning heavy frames.
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ExtractFrames are spun just fast enough to expel the honey by centrifugal force. Too slow and it won't budge. Too fast and the delicate honeycomb structure fractures.
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Into settling tankExtracted honey is strained into a bucket then decanted into a settling tank. Wet cappings are returned to the hive for the bees to take down the residue then recovered licked clean and dried.
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Into buckets for storageIt sits in the settling tank for a while to allow remaining small particles to separate before being decanted into buckets..
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Long term storageStored honey is identified by season, apiary, hive, and water content. A small jar is kept aside as a sample for tasting and granulation monitoring.
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Comb honeyWhole frames are set aside for those that prefer their honey direct from the hive without any processing. Some like to have whole frames, some prefer it cut into sections.
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Honey cosmeticsSticky sticky sticky. Cappings face-pack is apparently very soothing.
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LabellingHoney is identified throughout the extract and storage process and finally replicated on the packaging. This makes each jar, cut comb, or whole frame, traceable by season, location, apiary, and hive.
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For more about our prepared honeys and sales,
please see Our Honeys page |