Harvesting the Honey

Obviously the whole reason to set up, maintain, and stock a beehive is to harvest honey. You will know that it is time to harvest the honey when you look in one of your hives supers and find that the frames are full of honey combs that your bees have covered with wax caps. Now all you have to do is remove the honey combs.
Harvesting your honey won't be a problem as long as your put on all your beekeeping gear, wear light colored clothes (beekeepers swear that lighter colored clothes have a soothing affect on bees) and stay calm. When the super is full of capped honey combs you are going to have to remove the bees from that super. There are chemicals available on the market that will make this easier. One popular chemical that beekeepers use to remove bees from the super is Bee-Go. All beekeepers have to do is apply Bee-Go to a fumer board. When the bees smell the Bee-Go they head to the bottom of the hive, leaving the super full of capped honeycombs empty for you to harvest. Another product beekeepers use to clear out supers is one called Fishers Bee Quick. Neither of these products harm the bees, the bees simply find the scent offensive and move away from it.Now that you are in possession of the honey comb you need to prepare it to be extracted. The first step in this preparation is to remove the wax caps the bees have used to seal the honey into the honey comb. Many beekeepers prefer to use nine frames instead of ten in their supers. By using nine frames they give the bees enough room to draw the comb out, placing the cap right on the very edge of the comb. This makes it easier to remove the wax caps. Beekeepers use a metal knife to remove the caps, the knife works best if the knife blade is warmed, after all its easier to cut warm wax then it is to cut cold wax. You can keep the knife blade warm with frequent dunking in a basin that is full of hot water. Many beekeepers like to use their bread knife to remove the wax caps from the honey comb while others prefer an electrical knife that is designed just for beekeepers. What do you think bee's wax candles are made out of. Removing the caps from the dripping honey is easy, just use a piece of cheese cloth to empty the contents into a second pot, the honey will drain through the cheesecloth and the bee's wax caps will collect on the top.Once the caps are removed from the honey comb the honey is ready to be extracted.As you remove the caps, let them fall into a pot, do not just through them away. You will notice that there is a surprising amount of honey attached to these caps, honey that can be processed and used. Also there is a market for the wax caps. Once the caps have been removed from the honeycombs the honey combs are ready to have the honey extracted.

PURE HONEY

Pure honey is a sweet and tasty food choice, and a healthy one. While some processed types contain added sugar and water, pure honey is simply everything good that comes from bees. It's most amazing health affects come in its antibiotic properties; it has a high acidity and a mix of bee enzymes that make it highly resistant to most mold and bacteria. This makes honey good for the digestive track, among other things.

Pure honey is sweeter than sugar, and though it has more calories than sugar by weight, the fact that it is sweeter means people use significantly less, thus generally consuming fewer calories than they would sugar. Some researchers have found honey to have a positive impact on diabetic blood sugar, causing a much slower rise in blood sugar levels than refined sugar. Honey contains minerals, amino acids, and anti-oxidants that are healthful additions to any diet. Buckwheat honey can also help coat and sooth sore throats. When used as a sugar replacement, pure honey has value in weight control. Refined sugars are converted to fat stores much more easily than honey - it can actually help metabolize cholesterol and fatty acids.

One hundred percent pure bee's honey has many uses outside the body, as well. It has been said that Cleopatra herself recognized the rejuvenating effects, often bathing in milk and honey to maintain her youthful appearance. It's antibiotic properties are so strong that it can be used as a replacement for conventional ointments and wound treatments; some experiments have shown that diluting it with purified water can actually increase this effect, turning the honey into something similar to hydrogen peroxide. Some have even suggested that, though honey is sweet, its antibacterial properties are good for teeth, helping slow the growth of dental plaque and bacteria.

This amazing sweetener has an indefinite shelf-life, due to the antibiotic properties. While it may become crystallized in time, simply putting the container into a bowl of hot water for about 15 minutes will return it to liquid, tasty, pure honey.

For more information on where to buy pure honey online please visit http://www.everythinghoneyonline.com

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