Flow Hive Harvest | Do the flow frames really work?

This is our third season using the flow frames and it's the first one where the bees were strong enough and motivated enough to fill the frames. We go a really good harvest from the flow frames. We averaged about 1/2 gallon per frame.
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[@tuskegeehoney]

I agree, I have had some of my bees like the flow frames and some don't but I like the flow frames - cuts down on my work! thank's for sharing!

[@michellegardner6284]

Really helpful! I have bees above my garage and I want to rehome them so I don’t have to give them up. But in a way that I can manage & then move them to a better more rural location.

[@GaroSargsyan-db9sn]

Здраствуите я гаро дадяа спасиба тибе он супер работе👍🐝🐝🐝

[@peterpanayi1088]

What i do is that closed the bottom entrance for a week orso,and i open an upper entrance towords the top of the flow supper.I also used 1 timber waxed frame instead of the plastic flow frame.That made the bees to use the upper entrance and worked on the flow frames.

[@FreeRangeArtFarm]

Great advice. Thanks for sharing.

[@brucesbees]

Hey great job Thomas. I have thought about buying a Flow Hive or two to play with. I know of a couple of local folks here that have had success with them. But I just don’t know if I can pull the trigger due to cost.

[@FreeRangeArtFarm]

Thanks! Yes, they are expensive, for sure. As I've said, they would be good for the backyard person who will never have more than two colonies.

[@brucesbees]

@@FreeRangeArtFarm #truth. But you know me. I want to try everything! Haha.

[@FreeRangeArtFarm]

@@brucesbees me too... I love experimenting with different things.

[@MinnesotaBeekeeper]

Very clever shelf Thomas! What was your moisture at the end?

[@FreeRangeArtFarm]

I wish I could take credit. That's all part of the flow hive engineering. They really are nicely designed hive boxes. It's just trying to get the bees to fill up the frames can be tricky.

[@jrys23]

What do you do with frames that don’t get filled up and capped before winter? Is there a way to limit access to frames or do they typically start in the middle and work their way to the sides?

[@FreeRangeArtFarm]

There are lots of different things that people do. For me, any frames that I can't harvest honey from get pulled from the colony in the fall and I leave them out for the bees to open feed on. Then I put the cleaned out frames in storage for the winter. I usually put the frames about 100 ft or so away from the apiary so I don't encourage robbing activities.

[@tiggerfink]

Are you getting the last 1/4 open when you only stick the tool in 3/4 and turn? I watched other videos where they stick the pole all the way in to get the last 1/4 open.

[@FreeRangeArtFarm]

Yes, I'm getting the full frame open. I may have just not captured that in the video. I usually do 1/4 depth, then 1/2, 3/4, and full. It's easier to get the frames open and doesn't overflow and potentially flood the colony below with excess honey.

[@peterg2569]

How long does it take to empty a frame?

[@FreeRangeArtFarm]

It depends. If the honey is thick and it's cooler outside, it could take an hour. But I've never had to wait more than 15 mins to empty a frame.

[@KajunHomestead]

❤👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@cindym8900]

Straps due to wind?

[@FreeRangeArtFarm]

Yes, we can some very strong winds here.

[@ktjamlex]

Not surprised it broke - you were being a bit brutal just calm down a bit.

[@FreeRangeArtFarm]

Thanks for the feedback. I certainly didn't think I was being brutal at all. It's a good lesson for everyone that you need to be very gentle with the flow frames.

[@The12345condor]

Hi, Are your super flows chinese knock offs?

[@FreeRangeArtFarm]

No, they are the actual flow frames.

[@user-fx3le6ny9c]

the easy way to tell which is which is the chinese knock off one has 2 holes in or near the roof section and the proper flowhive does not.