We have langstroth hives only for a year and are learning, learning… Being out in the bush, there are no local beekeepers to ask, so we heavily rely on the experience of practical people like you. I appreciate your open approach and hope to learn from your Flowhive experience soon.
But the advantage of being on our own is that we do not have “these vociferous critics” 
This gives us a few years to try out the hives before anyone notices them.
First got to get our hives next month, hopefully the customs people do not do their “disappearing” trick and we can tell a great story in a few years.
I’ve seen a hive inspection on a modified top bar hive. The flow frame langstroth unit had been built onto the end of the top bar unit. It is a beautifully built hive but it had only been operating for a few weeks. The bees were still filling the top bar frames and had not begun working the flow frames.
I am new to beekeeping but when you look at the cost of the extraction equipment for the standard frames I don’t see what all the fuss is about regarding the price. They may not make sense for the commercial application but for a hobbyist they definitely fit the bill.
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An extractor is not needed to harvest honey with conventional honey supers. If only owning a hive or four, it’s over-kill and expensive. I didn’t own an extractor for my first couple of years. When I wanted honey, I just took a frame out and ate the honey. It really isn’t a big deal and it’s the most natural way of eating honey; right from the comb. This way also guarantees clean fresh wax each season. You could even throw an escape board/screen to rid the super of bees first. http://www.brushymountainbeefarm.com/8-Frame-Escape-Screen/productinfo/254ES/
Another alternative would be to use half depth supers with starter strips. Bees readily take to them. The supers even full of honey are not all that heavy to lift off when it’s time to inspect the brood. They would be perfect for crush & strain.
You could have 2or3 half depth supers over a single brood box. In the time it takes the bees to half fill & cap a full depth frame, the top box will be full & capped & ready to rob. Ideally you could take every second frame, cut the comb out, replace the frames for the bees to readily fill again. Next time you rob, take the frames you left behind last time.
PS. when you cut the comb out, there’s no need to put in a fresh starter strip if you put the frame straight back in between two other fully capped frames.
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That’s an even better idea. Thanks Jeff.
That’s the reason why I stopped working with bees when I was younger, I hated harvest season and all the clean up afterwards. I don’t mind tending the bees, that I always enjoyed, so the flow frames is what got me excited about getting back into the swing of things…
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Me to. When my Dad extracts I HIDE! ; -D
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Hi Ed, thanks mate, those half depth frames are good, they call them grandad frames, I believe. By using starter strips, there’s less chance of cross combing. The actual comb is less than half of a full depth comb. Easy to sort out if they do cross comb.
I agree with your comment but the point I was trying to make was if one was to spend the money to buy an extractor it would end up costing more than the flow frames. What is the best way to filter the honey from the comb without an extractor?
Crush and strain… There is a whole thread here on that, and you REALLY don’t want to go there… 
Hi John, I can answer that question. You can buy a strainer that sits on top of a bucket, they do a good job. I have one of those that I fitted Termimesh to & it strains the honey really clean. It does a beautiful job.
@John_Yeager An extractor costs less than a Flow Hive and can harvest an infinite amount of frames lol. Experienced beekeepers understand that if owning a Flow Hive, an extractor is a good idea to have as well.
I don’t filter it. I place the comb full of honey on a dish, dip a spoon into it and dump the spoon on my toast or into my tea. I wouldn’t want to filter out the natural goodness.
Fresh comb and fresh honey. No filtering desired!
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Hi Ed, I agree. Hey, that’s a beautiful looking frame you have there, you’ve inspired me to get an early night so I can get an early start in the morning to go & check my bees out before breakfast.
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Yes…lovely looking frame
Of course you can come for a visit.
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My Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ed.ridgewaymasonschimney
Our farm FB page: https://www.facebook.com/ShepherdsWatchApiary/
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That’d be fine! I’ll put you to work feeding babies. We’ll have a barn-full by then lol. Can you work a bottle full of milk? lol
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Cool! Two more to kid. The one on the left is due next Monday and her sister is due a week or two later 
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I never liked being called a baby goat… 