Honey Extractors For Your Beehive

Honey extractors are mechanical devices used for honey extraction during honey harvest. The main advantage of a honey extractor is the extraction of honey without destroying the honey comb. Honey extractors work by the principle of centrifugal force. A frame with honey spins in the extractor drum so that the honey flings out. After honey extraction the honey comb remains intact in the extraction chamber and hence this can be further used in the beehive.

Before using the honey frames inside the extraction chamber for extraction, these frames have to be uncapped for its storage of honey. There are a number of tools supplied by the beekeeping supplies for this purpose. Uncapping knifes, uncapping forks or electrically driven uncapping equipments are a few among them. While extraction expels out of the uncapped cells due to centrifugal force, flows down through the wall and finally pools at the bottom of the extraction chamber, which can be tapped out for further processing. Honey pumps are also used for the removal of honey from the extraction chamber.



Types of extractors include tangential and radial ones depending on how the frame is put in the extractor basket. The top of the frame face outwards in radial honey extractor whereas in tangential ones one side of the frame face outwards. Radial types are used in commercial honey extractors. The amount of work applied to radial ones are less when compared with tangential ones as they do not need to turn over of the honey comb to extract honey from the other side. Extractors are of different sizes. For commercial uses extractors can hold over hundred frames at a time where as small honey extractor normally holds two frames.



You can also make your own honey extractors with some great ideas available across the internet. Of all the methods the conversion of an antique washing machine to a honey extractor is a pretty interesting one. If a extractor is not affordable, you can choose any of these simple extractor construction ideas. Many of these are economical and also you can make use of the several antique pieces available at home.



Some alternatives used other than extraction in some counties is just cutting the honey comb and using it as cut comb honey. Whereas in some countries they take out honey comb from the frame and squeeze it out for honey extraction.

A variety of extractors with different sizes and dimensions are available with bee supplies. The commercially used medium ones normally use 30 or 60 frames at a time in a small farm. Normally honey extractors are of reasonable cost. It becomes more expensive when the shipping charge is added to it. For small scale producers most of them consider it as not worth to invest such a huge amount for extractors. Hence if you have some technical and carpentry skills make use of it for constructing your own extractors.



Conclusively, just like bees keep their hives protected from ants and other foreigners. It is preferable to clean or keep your honey extractor in a safe place for you can increase its life for several years ahead.



If you found this article interesting and informative, and you would like to learn more about the joys of Beekeeping, please visit my Blog at http://www.goodbeekeeping.com



Regards, Mick.



http://www.goodbeekeeping.com



Article Source: http://www.EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mick_Stevenson

How to Start Beekeeping For Free

Beekeeping has suddenly become popular again, having been in decline for more than half a century.




Honeybees have been in the news for all the wrong reasons: collapsing colonies, pesticide poisoning and parasitic mites - and all this bad news seems to have triggered an almost primitive desire in people to want to help and nurture this vitally-important insect that, despite all our scientific advances we still do not fully understand, but know that we cannot live without.



Ever since I can remember, beekeepers have been regarded by the media as harmless, doddery old men (mostly), who do arcane things with strange wooden boxes of bees, while dressed in sartorially suspect garb. However, this image is beginning to change, with more and more women and young people being attracted to the idea of learning this ancient craft and a new urgency in the air about preserving our honeybees for their important role as pollinators, as well as for their own sake.



When people first consider keeping bees, their most likely first port of call is their local Bee Keepers Association. Here they will almost always find a friendly welcome and a great deal of technical chat among the 'old hands', most of which will sound like a foreign language at first. When the jargon is translated, it turns out that one will be required to part with a not inconsiderable sum of money in order to buy one's ticket into this arcane world: the glossy catalogues full of shiny equipment are beguiling, but the accompanying price lists can come as quite a shock.



Many are put off the idea at this point.



But it need not be so. It is perfectly possible to become a beekeeper - even quite a good beekeeper - without blowing a good chunk of one's hard-earned savings. In fact, as I shall show you, you can even do it virtually for free!



The next hurdle to confront the would-bee keeper is the hefty weights that one is expected to lift and carry. Using conventional equipment, you need to be able to lift at least 50 pounds (about 25 kilos) dead weight from ground level - not something to try if you are lightly built and not used to box-shifting in that class.



Again, this does not have to be the case: I will show you how the least fit person can become a beekeeper. In fact, using my system, you could even work a hive from a wheelchair.



Another obstacle that may kill off the newbee's enthusiasm is that of storage space. Using conventional hives, you cannot fail to accumulate all kinds of 'extras' - odd-shaped boxes, frames, roofs, extractors - all kinds of stuff the 'old hands' forgot to mention at that first, exciting meeting - and you will need space to store it. We are talking garage space, folks. Once more I have good news: follow my system and you will not need any extra storage space, as everything can be stored inside the hives themselves.



So what does it really take to become a beekeeper?



The essentials are simple enough: some sort of hive, a hat and a veil, an old, white shirt and - to start with at least - some gloves - and the agreement of the people who share your living space. It doesn't matter whether you are a town or a country dweller, so long as there is an abundant and varied supply of flowering plants from early spring onwards. In fact, bees often do better in well-gardened, urban areas than in the 'green desert' of modern, industrial farm land.



Like many beekeeping novices, I began with a conventional, framed hive - the kind with sloped-sided outer boxes familiar from children's books. Soon, I acquired a couple more and began to realize that if I was to continue along this road, I would have to build myself a big shed in which to house all the spare woodwork and other paraphernalia that was rapidly accumulating - and I would have to find a way to pay for all the 'extras' I would soon be needing.



At this point I asked myself - does it really need to be this way? - and that innocent question led me on an exploratory mission of reading, study and experimentation that showed me conclusively that, no - it does not need to be that way: beekeeping does not need to be complicated, expensive or dependent on machine-made parts and equipment.



My search for an alternative approach led me to the top bar hive - one of the oldest and simplest types of beehive - that requires little skill and few tools to build. A good start on the road to sustainable simplicity, but is it a practical hive for modern beekeeping?



After some years of experimenting and testing various designs, I believe I now have a top bar hive design that is easy to build, practical and productive, while being comfortable and easy to use for both the bees and the beekeeper.



So what are top bar hives?



The principle is simple: a box with sticks across the top, to which bees attach their comb. Mine have central, side entrances, sloping sides and a pair of 'follower boards' to enclose the colony. There are many variations on this theme and all have the essential guiding principle of simplicity of construction and of management. There are no frames, no queen excluders, no ekes, no mouse guards, no supers, no foundation and there is no need for extractors, settling tanks, filters, de-capping knives... in fact no need for any other equipment or storage space, other than that provided within the hive itself. And if you have just spent an hour leafing through suppliers' catalogues, wondering how you can possibly afford to keep bees, that will come as some relief!



Building a top bar hive is no more difficult than putting up shelves and can be done using hand tools and recycled wood. Top bar beekeeping really is 'beekeeping for everyone' - including people with disabilities, bad backs, or a reluctance to lift boxes: there is no heavy lifting once your hives are in place, as honey is harvested one comb at a time. From the bees' point of view, top bar hives offer weatherproof shelter, the opportunity to build comb to their own design - without the constraints of man-made wax foundation - and minimal disturbance, thanks to a 'leave well alone' style of management.



So where do you get bees from?



You can buy them or catch them, or if you are lucky, they will adopt you! Catching or luring a swarm is by far the most fun - and much easier than you might think. Bees swarm in response to their instinct to reproduce - mostly in spring and early summer - and the sight of a swarm in flight is certainly impressive. However, contrary to popular belief, this is the time when they are least likely to sting you: their only concern at that moment is to find a new place to live. So if you offer them the right sort of accommodation at the right time - such as a pleasant-smelling, cosy beehive - they are very likely to move in of their own accord. Many people become beekeepers by enticing a passing swarm using a few drops of citronella or lemon grass oil, or better still, rubbing the inside of the hive with pure beeswax.



Capturing a swarm is not difficult either - hold a basket or cardboard box under their football-sized cluster on a tree branch and give a good shake! It is not always as easy as that, but it is rarely as difficult as getting a cat out of a tree.



If you think you want to keep bees, I suggest you first get to know a local beekeeper who is willing to let you visit and handle their bees. Most beekeepers' associations have 'meet the bees' days during the spring, giving newcomers a chance to see inside a hive and test their responses to being surrounded by bees.



And stings? Yes, you will get stung from time to time, however careful you are. Local swelling, redness and itching is a normal reaction: faintness, breathing difficulties and collapse are true allergic symptoms and are potentially life-threatening. Most people who keep bees become less sensitive to stings over time, but sometimes it goes the other way and occasionally an experienced beekeeper may suddenly become allergic. So if you have any reason to suppose you may be sensitive to bee venom (only about one in 200 people are) be sure to carry Benadryl or an Epipen (adrenaline injection) or ensure that whoever you are with is properly equipped to deal with an emergency.



Whether you approach it from the point of view of conservation, entomology, crop pollination or simply a love of honey, beekeeping is an engaging pursuit and a fascinating window on the natural world.



Bees are in trouble right now - from pesticides, industrial farming, pollution, parasitic mites and viruses - and we need all the 'natural' beekeepers we can get to build up their numbers and give them a chance to solve their own problems. So, if you want to keep bees, build yourself a hive before the swarm season, and you could be tasting your own honey by the end of the summer!



Free DIY plans for building a top bar hive are available from the author's web site at http://www.biobees.com - where you will also find a support and discussion forum for top bar beekeeping. The Barefoot Beekeeper is also available from this site.



My version of the top bar hive has several design features worth noting. It is simple to construct, using inexpensive - even re-cycled - materials. Reclaimed, untreated pallet timber can be used, for example. All joints are glued and screwed, which ensures strength and a long life. When empty, the hive is light enough to be lifted quite easily by one person and carried, even when occupied, by two. Because the box is bolted to the legs, it only takes a few minutes to dismantle for transport. The hive is strong, self-contained, versatile and easy to build, even by someone with only basic woodworking skills. It is also easy to manage and once the hive is in place, the heaviest lifting you will need to do is to remove the roof.



In my book, The Barefoot Beekeeper, I describe the top bar hive and its management and discuss the philosophy of natural beekeeping, in which we aim to work with the natural impulses and habits of the bees, respecting the integrity of the brood chamber, leaving them ample honey stores over winter and generally arranging things in order to cause their bees as little stress and disturbance as possible.



I hope soon to be able to welcome you to our free Top Bar Beekeeping Forum, which has members from around the world who have chosen this most fascinating way to provide homes for honeybees.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Philip_Chandler

Training to be a Beekeeper

The Backyard Beekeeper - Revised and Updated: An Absolute Beginner's Guide to Keeping Bees in Your Yard and GardenTraining to be a beekeeper is a time consuming skill that many take seriously because you have to share a passion for something that was once declared a simple hobby to which has joined the billion-dollar food market. The beekeeping industry has come a long way from it being a simple hobby to where it's going on tables across the world.

Many beekeepers that have not been brought up in a family that practiced this are going to have to really learn fast from an experienced beekeeper that has had years of experience from knowing the biology and study of bees and what to expect when they turn out a good product of honey. What many people aren't aware of is and this may sound kind of gross, but honey is actually regurgitated food because bees not only make honey, but they eat it as food during the winter months since there are no flowers around when it's cold so it's a way for them to sustain food through the cold months.

It's amazing that bees have mastered the art of survival during the winter months. Beekeepers also have to keep in mind that certain times of the year there may not be any honey production since bees are most active during the warm months so that's why many of them are actually farmers since they have to have a way to make a living when it gets cold. This is an expensive hobby and it may look cheap because you can make a box put some slides in them and allow the bees to come there, but the thing is that you have to know where to put the boxes for the bees to build their hives in.

You have to train yourself to be knowledgeable in the area of entomology because you have to know what insects will be compatible around bees because some insects will feed on bees, yellow jackets, hornets, and wasps which are primarily mites and are one of the most annoying insects because they're so relatively tiny that you need a microscope to see them up close. Science plays a huge part in a beekeeper's training and gaining experience since most people aren't savvy to science and the elements of it which is important and necessary because you have to have some idea of how to manage bees and what to do to keep their habitat healthy and to keep pests from overtaking the hives and killing the bees. There are a lot of steps involving the proper education and training of a beekeeper and what you're looking for is someone who is serious and dedicated to a way of life that's been a tradition in some families for generations.

Many people learn through the ranks of great grandparents, grandparents, and parents and it's just a family tradition and way of life that's taught to children. It wasn't even about making money it was actually just one other chore on the farm, but in the years it slowly progressed into a farm staple that was being sold like it was produce, meat and dairy, but it's still a profitable market anyway you look at it and it's one of the sweetest things in the world.