Well, this is technically the first harvest from the flowhive but it is late in the season so we decided to just remove the flowhive and harvest on the patio. With a broken leg I am not much help so I stood up by the hives with my crutches while my wife did all the work. Frames are looking pretty good and capped too!
8 Likes
Very pretty! Frame of honey and your wife, of course! 
4 Likes
Really good looking frame of honey, well built out and capped. I like what I see mate, you two have done well. Great pics. 
Don’t push it with the leg, give it time to mend properly.
Cheers, n thanks for updating your profile too.
2 Likes
Thanks, we joined in 2017, the year we started in with bees and @Dawn_SD, @Anon, @Michael_Bush , @JeffH, @skeggley , @Gerald_Nickel and a few others have helped us along quite a bit following the comments. We have been tied up quite a bit. We drained out one frame tonight with friends over and ended up with 2 quarts (even after everyone dunking their fingers). I will get more pics up as we get more drained, I did have ALOT drain down the sides…probably a cup worth. We will see how much more as she opens more tomorrow.
3 Likes
You’re welcome Sarg. Having ALOT draining down the sides is a good reason for harvesting honey from flow frames away from the hive. More important to avoid honey flooding onto the bees & brood in areas where SHBs are active.
2 Likes
Hiya mate, great to hear of your success, well done. I havn’t seen much harvesting this year from the Northern Hemisphere this year.
Out of curiosity, how did you drain the Flow frame? Was it drained in the box? Did you use 1 key and open in segments?
1 Like
When flow was on Better Homes & Gardens recently, they used one key & opened the frame in one go, on the hive.
Here is the video
cheers
1 Like
I noticed that on the program Jeff, all I can say is that opening the frames in sections is the only way I have recovered honey without flooding being an issue. Using two keys to crack a frame open requires less effort than turning a single key and probably reduces the distortion of the frame as many suggest. Since opening frames in 20% sections and using two keys I haven’t had a problem providing when I finish and close the cells there is enough time allowed to completely drain the chamber, I leave my drain tubes and pail hooked up overnight in cooler weather. I drain into a pail with a bee proof lid and in the morning there is no bees at the back of the hive.
Cheers
3 Likes
Hi Peter I had my first real flooding when opening a frame a month ago. It was the first time I had to stop and reset the section that was opened.I always check the corflute slider and it had too much on it this time. What I noticed was that a couple of the cappings split and the honey trickled out. I have had cells that have been uncapped before and the honey didn’t come out of those. What I have noticed is that frames that have not been opened for a longer time and the cells closer to the outside on the shady side of the hive are always harder to open. This frame had not been opened for a long time. What ever the reason for the issue the honey could not flow to the channel fast enough. Viscosity higher and or perhaps the cells are not actually opening enough. They could be springing back down a bit after the key is rotated as there is a fair bit of flex in the top of the frames. If this happens again on that frame I will take it out and watch it more closely.
2 Likes
All of my flooding issues were self inflicted, like opening the whole frame in one hit instead of 20% at a time as well as trying to rush the draining in cooler weather. I also think that the first time cappings were more prone to break open than flex. My first extraction was a real disaster with as much honey flooding out the entrance with bees as what was drained into a pail.
With the cooler weather I leave it all hooked up and bee tight and drain the honey down to the last drip.
I now use two keys in opening a frame, no proof, but maybe less flexing of the frame, but it really is easier to crack open a frame.
I now do all my frame draining on the hive. Rather too simple, but remember honey doesn’t flow fast and the colder it is the longer it takes after opening a section of the frame the longer it takes to run out of the chanber tube.
Cheers Gary
Drained 2 frames so far and have 4 quarts! Will do the rest over the next few days, have everything set up in the kitchen. I will post some pictures soon. Heading in to get screws put in my ankle tomorrow, guess my wife will be moving the boxes around a little longer.
I always leave one frame in the super as an extra reserve for my bees, I had a Summer dearth last Summer and because I don’t take all of the honey I didn’t have to feed my bees. But they sure needed that frame of honey.
Good luck with the ankle, I’ve been there and done that, take it easy on yourself. Listen to the Dr’s and your wife, she will do what you can’t. 
Cheers
1 Like
We leave a super on for the bees, checked it and it is full before we take ours. If it is a little low during the dearth we give them some sugar water. She is going to be getting good at this stuff and try to take it over though…haha.
1 Like