Extracting Honey today!!!!

The bees had filled some of the honey combs, so extraction was required.  I thought you might like to see 'up close and personal' what it takes to get the honey from the honey frames when they are full.  Beekeeping Daughter went through the hives and removed the honey frames that were sufficiently capped with wax and the honey ready to be removed.  The first picture is of a honey frame fresh from the hive.

The white areas are where the honey has been capped with wax.

A tool somewhat like a wide fork with sharp prongs is used to skim along the wax cappings to remove them. This wax is then put into a strainer placed over a bowl to strain any remaining honey out of the wax ... and that wax can be used for many things, one of which is to make bees' wax candles.  Effort is made when removing these cappings to not get any honey in with the wax, but that is difficult to accomplish.  The strainer over the aluminum bowl can be see to the left of Beekeeping Daughter's arm.

 This is the frame after the caps have been removed.

 Then the frames (three at a time) are inserted into the extractor.  It is then spun around quickly to utilize centrifugal force to 'fly' the honey out along the sides of the extractor.  Half way through the spinning, it is stopped so the frames can be flipped around allowing the other side of the frame of honey to fly out along the sides as it is being spun.  Care has to be exerted to spin just fast enough that the honey flies out along the sides ... but not so fast that the frame is bowed out.

 Closer look into the extractor with the three frames inserted.

The spinning is begun!

Faster, faster, faster we go!

The honey slides down the inside of the extractor to the bottom.  A large spout is located near the floor of the extractor.  It can be opened up to allow the rich "liquid gold" to pour steadily into a bucket placed below. There are three strainers placed on the top of the bucket (course, medium and then fine) through which the honey flows and is strained of stray bits and pieces of wax or debris, leaving pure golden honey.

When we finally finished the day of extracting, we estimate there was anywhere from 30 to 35 lbs. of honey!!!!!

There is a spout on the bottom of this bucket also, so when the job is finished, the spout is opened and the honey is allowed to pour into various jars.  Neat, huh?!

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Guess who watched this procedure?

Yes, Duncan observed the whole thing .... and then received a raisin or two as treats!!!!  Cute little guy!

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Now a drive by to see the house ......

Black on the roof - windows in place (except for three).  This is out the study front window.

 Great room window, facing the back where the barn is.  A horse lives there too.

Out the kitchen window.  The table will be in this area.

Out the small kitchen window looking onto the porch.

These two views were from the edge of the backyard - I wanted you to see the lovely roof line from that angle too.  There is a totally beautiful view of the house from a road way off to the left of this picture ... beyond the horse pasture.  Some time soon I will try to get a shot of that view.  Again, I feel blessed beyond belief.

Blessings!

Janet