Time to harvest some honey

We harvested some honey from our busy bees recently.  It is quite the interesting process.  After pulling some frames from the hives it was time to release the sweet nectar.

Here is one of the frames after uncapping the honey.  After the bees deposit the honey, they place a cap of wax over it to hold it in place.   Taking a hot knife and running it along the combs, releases the sweet prize inside.  Isn't that beautiful color??

 

The next step is to to place it in the spinner and release the honey.  As you can see below, the combs are cleaned out and ready to be placed back into the hive so they can fill them up again.

 

 

The next step is to strain the honey for any impurities.  Just look at all that honey pouring into the bucket.  Dipping your finger in fresh honey.....doesn't get better than that!!

 

 

 

Now we're ready to start filling some jars.

 

 

We may get some additional honey this fall.  However, it's a tricky process.  You have to make sure to leave enough honey in the hive so that the bees can feed all winter.  We want to make sure they stick around for next year too!!