Honey Harvesting & Processing — FarmPal

Key Points

• 🐝Only harvest surplus bees need 60-90 lbs for winter (varies by climate)
• 🐝Frames should be 80%+ capped before harvesting
• 🐝Warm honey extracts faster process on warm days or heat room to 80°F
• 🐝Raw, unheated honey retains maximum enzymes and beneficial compounds
• 🐝Never heat honey above 104°F (40°C) to preserve beneficial properties

Steps

1. 1Assess colony stores leave enough for winter FIRST
2. 2Remove supers using bee escape boards (24 hours) or gentle brushing
3. 3Uncap frames using heated knife or uncapping fork
4. 4Extract using centrifugal extractor (borrow/rent from bee club)
5. 5Strain through double sieve (coarse then fine) not ultra-fine filter
6. 6Let honey settle in bottling bucket 24-48 hours (bubbles rise)
7. 7Bottle in clean glass jars, label with floral source and date
8. 8Return wet supers to bees for cleanup before storing

Tips

• 💡Crush-and-strain method works without an extractor and produces beautiful comb honey
• 💡\"Raw\" means never heated above hive temperature (~95°F) and only coarse-strained
• 💡Crystallization is natural and indicates pure honey not a defect
• 💡Gently warm crystallized honey in warm water bath to reliquefy (under 104°F)
• 💡First-year colonies should keep ALL their honey plan for zero harvest year one