To Harvest Honey, Or Not To Harvest | Variables in Beekeeping

Well folks, the main nectar flow has, for all intents and purposes, ended, and it's time for the bees to slow down and cure the honey. But what about the honey already cured and the little bit of nectar coming in here and there? Also, how about a super busy schedule for the beekeeper in July when normally it would be an all out harvest of all supers? These questions have all collided in my thought process and I need to come up with a plan to get ahead so that I will be able to meet all of my commitmetns in July. So come along and go with me in my thought process in the bee yard as I figure out the path going forward.
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Thanks for joining me in my bee yard here in Louisiana as I share how I maintain my beehives. My videos are not meant to be 'How To' videos, but simply me sharing my experiences in beekeeping as I learned it from my mentors, teachers, and studies.
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[@brucesbees]

Some days in the bees can simply be enjoyable. Sounds like you had one of those days! Good stuff Mike. As always.

[@MikeBarryBees]

Yea, it was nice to be done before the major heat and still have the day to do other things.

[@strugglingbeekeepermarkcot9642]

Good deal buddy I enjoyed your video. Stay safe in that heat. It’s been pretty hot up here in West Virginia.

[@MikeBarryBees]

Glad you enjoyed it Mark. Stay cool best you can brother.

[@GunRunnerGundogsGamebirds]

Great video as always Mike!!

[@MikeBarryBees]

Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!!

[@KajunHomestead]

You got the right Idea, I've made two pulls so far on my big hives and been putting the suppers back on so they can clean up and have some space with all this heat. I find it easier to pull small amounts than all at once, Its just too much work when doing it by yourself. Great video Mike God Bless

[@MikeBarryBees]

It’s working nice so far, but I am getting to a point that I need to go out and just get the rest at once. Did another dozen today.

[@donbearden1953]

Good video Mike. It’s so much easier and cooler to do a little at a time. You’re not getting as hot and it’s easier to stay hydrated to work a few at the time. Hopefully you break your previous record.

[@MikeBarryBees]

Thanks Don. Going to have to wrap up soon so I can stay out of the heat.

[@adamsoutdoors]

Little tidbit about the beetle larva at the end I did not know. 55%, put that in the memory bank. Thanks Mike, God bless!!

[@MikeBarryBees]

When I learned that, it changed a lot on how I harvest. It allows me to spread out my time for sure.

[@adamsoutdoors]

@@MikeBarryBees that makes a huge difference in how I will be doing it from now on. I have a small walk in cooler I built in my shop for deer season. It will be perfect for warming and drying.

[@ThatBeeMan]

I believe I can hear the fatigue in your voice, Mike. Be sure to take care of yourself!

[@MikeBarryBees]

Yea Brad, I’m finally figuring out it’s time to retire and open up my schedule and re-budget my time.

[@kathyhathaway8823]

Hello Mike enjoy seeing everyone working in the Bee yard because that is a sign of things happening or happened . I worked one yard today an did not even light my smoker ( that is a first) . Have a good week. Thanks

[@MikeBarryBees]

Yea, I think everyone is running crazy right now. We're close to winding down and moving into winter prep phase...but first...vacation!!

[@russellkoopman3004]

Mike, it is nice to have some of that honey pulled and extracted. That is the way I harvest also. I date my pails and taste sample the different dates and pick the best tasting for runny honey and the rest goes into creamed honey. It was nice to have you in the chat with Gunline tonight. Have a good week.

[@MikeBarryBees]

That's what I do too. I always tag the lids with the date of the harvest. This season it's weekly of course, but nice to have them separated. Plan to make some creamed honey from the light spring batch. Enjoyed that stream very much. It's about the only evening all week that I'm free before dark.

[@johniac7078]

Beautiful frames of honey!!! This year so far has been a MONSTER year in Massachusetts. They are filling with nectar and pollen like mad. Thank you Mother Nature! My Dad used to say "sweating' bullets!" LOL. Love your vids Mike, thank you.

[@MikeBarryBees]

That's great!! Love those years when it just keeps on coming. Thanks for your continued support and glad you enjoy the videos!!

[@tomkingsley4398]

Good video Mike, I don't know how you cope with that heat and humidity. I am impressed with your swine knowledge 😅

[@MikeBarryBees]

I’m a beekeeper and I know things Tom😂😂

[@tomkingsley4398]

@@MikeBarryBees I was a Hog farmer before I was a beekeeper

[@ThatBeeMan]

LOL "Usta-could!" Love it!

[@MikeBarryBees]

Some of that southern dialect😁😁

[@tarheelbeekeeper3971]

Good stuff Mike, I get the getting older slowing down stuff i feel every day. work smarter not harder

[@MikeBarryBees]

Yep, and it’s when we don’t realize it that it bites us. I figured it out years back.

[@tarheelbeekeeper3971]

@@MikeBarryBees so true

[@researcherAmateur]

Yep, one day l simply realized that the days when I'm running around all day and doing a lot of work are gone and done. Now we work with a steady Tempo and getting things done as we can in time

[@MikeBarryBees]

Yep, 100% agree on that my friend!!

[@eddybarker5072]

Looks like you’ve had a blessed year Mike and the bees have done their job. I’m up North of Dallas and our nectar was negatively affected this year with all the rain we had so honey production was very low. Did take advantage of a few splits. Love your channel and your super positive personality. You’re one of my favorites👍👍

[@MikeBarryBees]

So glad for your support and that you enjoy the channel. I’ve see on the Texas Friendly page that people were seeing a reduced year due to rain. Hate to hear that and I hope y’all get a nice fall flow.

[@tommychew6544]

Great episode Mike. I have to put on my calculating mind of things for my area, like I have to with all you guys down south that far south. From the time I joined the Corps in 85 to the time I came back in 89 the insect load around streetlights was 1/4 what it was before I left, likely lower by the poison they were spraying here in SW Missouri. My entire intention is just to seed them back into the area. If it's the last thing I do, I will have done my job. Honeybees are few and far between in my immediate area. I don't subscribe to that they are non-native narrative; without them we would not have the pollinator's needed for all of our crops, I saw that firsthand. I think the whole Africanized bee's movies of the 70's is still in their minds. It's like the movie Jaws and the killing of sharks that came afterwards. Thanks for the video!

[@MikeBarryBees]

We all do our part and in the end, it culminates into the one goal. I didn't really pay much mind since I was always on the move in the Navy. Now I see so much more by being a beekeeper. We are doing very well down here with the honeybees, but elsewhere it's zilch. I has some mason bees move into some holes in some wood last week. Very cool. Thinking about getting some tube houses for them.

[@lambbrookfarm4528]

Howdy Mike, been raining here since temps dropped out of the mid 90's this past week, and humidity, well we got it here as well. We get a dearth mid-summer in my location. Sorry I didn't post my early honey harvest, it was just 3 Layens frames from a live hive and 3 partial frames from a dead out, a little over 20#. The Layens honey is the clearest I have seen. A couple friends commented the same thing, 'looks like grade A fancy maple syrup'... ya I know, but we do sugarin' up here in New Hampshire. Been humid and raining now since Thursday. Weather looks good Tuesday. Hoping to pull honey then. Oh, and I'm with you on the older and getting less done thing. Thanks for sharing, take care, Brice

[@MikeBarryBees]

Glad you got the harvest done and I understand not getting it on video. I sometimes just get focused on what I'm needing to get done and I just get moving and leave the camera on the table. We could use some rain. We had some steady rain events for a while, but we're drying out now. My issue is letting my mind tell me I can keep on working when my body is saying no....Just have to use wisdom I suppose. Have a great week Brice!!

[@honeyandthecoop803]

I'm with you on the sweating part Mr.Mike.......sweating like a government mule up here in South Carolina.

[@MikeBarryBees]

It’s just brutal and it makes me miserable some days. But, it’s all part of living I. The south I suppose….😁

[@redfish440]

Thanks Mike, lots of good information, I appreciate it, God Bless !

[@MikeBarryBees]

Thanks you and God’s blessing to you as well brother!

[@Steele_Wings]

Need to get a cool vest. Those ice packs hold for at least 3 hrs. Life saver in this heat.

[@MikeBarryBees]

I’ve thought about one many times, just never really followed thru. I just try to limit my time and plan my day around the mornings.

[@illumi-Nate]

Looks like u got a nice harvest coming!

[@MikeBarryBees]

I sure hope so. Going well so far.

[@dcrosco1458]

Well it comes down to this mike what is more important

[@MikeBarryBees]

Yep and as I get older, I think a lot differently on that.

[@poseidonam]

I have a massive patch of Japanese knotweed. That will bloom in late Aug. I will be ready this year with drawn empty supers.

[@MikeBarryBees]

I’ve heard a lot about knotweed and how the bees love it. Don’t have it around my house.

[@SylantBill]

I had to pull honey already. Girls filled all my supers, built 4 more supers and they filled those. Extracted 11 8 frame supers and put wet boxes back on and they are filling those again. First pull was 320 lbs, a new record for me.

[@apatriot1762]

Where though?

[@SylantBill]

@@apatriot1762 central eastern Alabama 25 Miles from GA border. 45 miles north of brucesbees.

[@MikeBarryBees]

Awesome!! Hope your next harvest is a good one!!

[@jimmylott9677]

A fellow bee keeper has still have his inner cover on ,your view on this

[@MikeBarryBees]

Well, if you run in we covers, then they should stay on all the time. The keep that cushion of air and also they keep the telescoping lid from being hard to pry off. The only thing that I’ve always been told is that they need to flipped so that the access notch is down in the summer. Other than that, they normally stay on all year.

[@TomStogner]

I live about 30 miles east of you. I took the same Virgin VSH queen challenge and ended up getting 3 of 6 mated (maybe). She’s got a good pattern going but…looks like they want to replace her already before any of the brood is capped.

[@MikeBarryBees]

It’s just got to be done earlier Tom. I knew it going in and now I m is it even more. Only mated queens for me starting mid May.

[@michaelhansen6481]

👍

[@MikeBarryBees]

Thanks!!

[@rodneymiddleton9624]

Heck of a nice job Mike!

[@MikeBarryBees]

Thanks Rodney!

[@WildwoodsBeekeeping]

Hey Mike!! Hope to extract some honey here around July 4th, been pushing it back just to let the bees cap and finish the nectar that they haven’t capped yet. Have 2 deeps full of honey, and 4 supers full of honey. Will give them 1 more week and should be ready. We will see!! Hope all is well!! Have a great day Mike :)

[@MikeBarryBees]

Good deal Grayson!! Hope you get it off and in the buckets soon. It's always a relief for me when I get it all done and all I have to do is care for the bees and their health for the rest of the seaon. Inspections and treatments....

[@628DirtRooster]

You gonna let Mr. Ed use your lift trailer this year?

[@MikeBarryBees]

Oh man!! Did you hear what happened? I talked to Charlie this evening. It was good while it lasted.

[@628DirtRooster]

@@MikeBarryBees Jeff called and told me. Yikes $$$

[@edwardjacob5674]

Hoping to get to mine in next week or so. Remember if you need help just let me know. Always interested in getting into hive’s

[@MikeBarryBees]

I might have to take you up on that if I don’t get all of them by the 6th.

[@SmokyMountainLashBees]

My battle is while I’d love to pull in increments too I can’t leave mine sitting even to dry out (I have to just feed it back if it’s not the right moisture content). I battle ants. 😭 If I even leave it more then a couple hours and definitely not over night the ants swarm it. Those annoying tiny “sugar” ants. 🥺

[@MikeBarryBees]

I truly dislike ants. They can be so destructive and until you’ve had them, people don’t understand. I hate that you have them so badly.

[@3Beehivesto300]

You need to make a video of how to go pee when you need to go bad and the bees are mad…. lol

[@MikeBarryBees]

Not sure KZbin would like that….

[@johnn1a2]

Hi Mike

[@MikeBarryBees]

Hello!!

[@wadebarnes6720]

If you can send some rain it 🔥 and the clover and the grass is all is dying I want to replant some clover but it's too dry I got 50 lb of seed

[@MikeBarryBees]

That’s was us last year. Drought hurt us pretty bad. Wish I could send you some rain Wade.

[@wadebarnes6720]

@@MikeBarryBees we had a little rain storm come through blue down some limbs and made a mess of the yard positive part we did get a little bit of water but I hate when I see damage to the old trees nearest pecan trees around my house is 4 ft at the base are bigger there are not many Big trees left

[@time2fly2124]

hey i'm just curious how you deal with your cappings from using the knife? do you have a wax spinner tucked away we havent seen before? i'm going to be pulling about 50 supers this summer also, and haven't ever needed to deal with that much wax, but my maxant cappings basket fills up afer about 8-10 supers, and takes a while to drain out.

[@MikeBarryBees]

I empty the basket and keep on going. I store them in a tote. I try to drain them for about two days, but if I’m doing more than 12 to 15, I have to pull them wet and let the drain in my old uncapping tank. I wish I had a wax spinner. Hoping to get one in the next couple of years. At the end of the season, I melt them in a Maxant wax melter.

[@doctortcbkk2027]

It’s such a tough time….I hate to do too much reconfiguring as it starts the robbing

[@edmartin875]

Doesn't anyone use an entrance reducer these days ? We used to do that to control robbing.

[@doctortcbkk2027]

@@edmartin875 yes and robbing screens

[@MikeBarryBees]

Yea, definitely have to move fast as summer is upon us. I grab and go and limit inspections.

[@kenhawkins]

I did the 1/2 tsp of bleach when I did my sugar water.

[@MikeBarryBees]

Should keep it from molding a while longer that way.

[@rodkirt9273]

Why don’t you park your trailer closer to the hives so you don’t have to walk back and forth 60 feet to load the boxes ? 🤷‍♂️

[@MikeBarryBees]

It’s about 15 to 20 feet. And I don’t park it close or it would be right in front of the stand and I’d rather not have honey boxes right at the entrances. I try to park it between two or three stands.

[@DonaldFarmHoney]

Hey Mike, In your opinion what is the best thing to use on fume boards. I used some home made stuff earlier this year and it worked ok I guess but don't have anything to compare it to.

[@MikeBarryBees]

I honestly believe that honey bandit has worked the best. I really am not impressed with the honey-b-gone. I’ve used the honey robber with Mr Ed one time and I’ll never use that again. WOW!! It’s so awful smelling!! But honey bandit has worked the best for me. I’m going to get a gallon of it at the expo this year.

[@GunRunnerGundogsGamebirds]

Mike: Do you mind sharing, where your banner came from and how much it cost? I’m talking about the banner you use on your market table. Thank You Sir!

[@MikeBarryBees]

We got it on Amazon. It was recommended to me by a viewer actually. It’s a really good ‘attention getter’ and we’ve had people riding by that saw it and stopped.

[@davidkoch733]

Do you think you get more honey using 9 frames vs 10 frames?

[@MikeBarryBees]

Yes. I have a video clip I’ll show soon about the weight difference between them. I’ve used mine frames for about 8 years now and really like it.

[@timmorris7022]

What size honey house do you have?

[@MikeBarryBees]

It’s 12’ X 30’. It should really be wider though. At least 14’ wide in my opinion.

[@mikejohnson3375]

What make and model is your blower?

[@MikeBarryBees]

It’s Ryobi shop and bench blower.

[@SylantBill]

Do you reduce the hive entrance and if so when do you do it?

[@MikeBarryBees]

Yes, I usually put them in the weaker hives after harvest in mid-July. For the strong colonies I will put them in around September when it’s not as hot.

[@SylantBill]

@@MikeBarryBees Thank you

[@WillyPete_]

Box Fans and low humidity kills beetle eggs.. GOLDEN INFO Make sure to repeat that fact from time to time, this is my 1st time hearing this in 7 years.

[@MikeBarryBees]

Yea, when I learned it a few years ago, it changed how I harvest and allowed me more time to get the job done right.