Extraction, Gotta Do.

Our last honey extraction was way back in March then we left them alone for the Winter but once the weather warmed up and the bees got busy we could have done an extraction during Spring and should have done one during December.  Husband has put extra supers on the hives so the bees have plenty of room and haven't swarmed but the boxes are full and really do need doing.  It is something that we must do this month sometime.  Definitely must do before the Redgum is ready. 


Back in Spring daughter and I cleaned the extraction shed out, we karchered it all, painted the floor, washed everything so it was all clean and ready to go...But it never happened.    My plan next week is to vacuum the extracting shed again, dust everything again, cover everything to keep the dust off and have it all ready for the day he says " We're extracting today, ready for it?"  And I will smile and sweetly say "Of course Babe"  It will take him maybe 5 minutes to put his hat and veil on, light the smoker and be ready.  He will be out in the paddock with the trolley ready to start before I have even started. It will take me longer to finish what I was doing, find my suit and put it on, put my boots on, and my gloves, find my nerve and get out there to "help"

I can't do much out in the Apiary though.  I can use the smoker...that's about it really.  I am not strong enough to lift the boxes even though they are not full size supers only WSP's.  I cringe and sook if too many bees get too close to me, and they do, there are a lot of bees in 4 hives and they don't always like having the roof of their house removed and rooms taken away.  So really husband does it all out there and I am there just to put in an appearance because they are "my" hives and it is "my hobby". 

Once we have the boxes of capped honey frames on the trolley and he pulls them across the paddock to the extracting shed then I can do a bit more.  If I had to I could do it all once he gets the boxes into the shed but it would take me all day and there would be a big mess and I would probably be crying. 

But one day soon we will do the much needed extraction.  One day soon...



Before that though the whole apiary area needs another mowing as the grass is too long and snakes could be hiding...And this is one other thing that I am too sooky to do.  Husband will get out there on the ride-on, in shorts and thin shirt, maybe his bee hat, and job done in half 20 minutes.  It will take me longer than that just to suit up.  So yeah, another job on his list.  He did make a start a few weeks back but it's all grown back again and like all the grass around here really needs doing more often just to keep it reasonable.