Removal of Honey from the Hive
When it comes to the actual removal of the honey filled frames from the hive, you will likely use equipment you already own:
- Protective gear (such as a bee suit, gloves and a veiled hat)
- Some form of bee removal method (escape board, fume board, repellent, leaf blower)
- Hive tools
- Smoker
- Empty super with lid or plastic tub with lid (that fits your honey frames)
Common Basic Equipment for Extracting Honey
The crush and strain method has been done for millennia and is very simple. All you need is:
- a big tub
- a large knife
- a spatula or a sturdy wooden spoon for crushing
- cheesecloth
- jars with lids
- cardboard/plastic (optional) for covering the table/counter area and floor
Additional Honey Harvesting Equipment
Keeping it simple you can buy (or make) different types of strainers and buckets with spouts for pouring the filtered honey. In addition, you can buy a cold uncapping knife or electric heated knives to cut through the honeycomb, mashing forks, big tubs specific to harvesting honey, funnels, as well as jar labels and lids.
More Costly Equipment
If you are ready to spend some decent money there are mechanical or electrical equipment that will help in the ease of harvesting honey. For example, there are honey extractors that hold from 2 to 30 frames at one time. You can invest in digital bottling machines, scales, refractometers, uncapping tanks, specialty bottles and labels, stands, and a host of other nifty equipment. Most of these items will last years and you will presumably appreciate the initial investment.
All or Nothing
As you investigate your options, you will find that harvesting honey can be done with very little equipment that costs next to nothing. On the other hand, you may be ALL IN and wanting to make an investment in many interesting machines and gadgets. May you find the honey harvest sweet and enjoyable!
