Mike Swintosky ([330] 471-3128) wrote:
 
> Does anyone fine-filter honey direct from the extractor?  I only have
> 3 hives
> at the moment, but my experience is that honey straight from the
> extractor is
> too cool to run through the finish filter.  It just clogs too quickly.
>
> I've thought of 2 possibilities:
>
> 1. Heat the honey as it flows from the extractor.  This will enable it
> to be
>    filtered more readily.
>
> 2. Batch heat the honey after extracting is complete.  Any of the
> conventional
>    tank or bucket heaters could then be used.  Filtering would then be
> done
>    when the honey reached the desired temperature.
>
> What are peoples thoughts on the quickest and most cost efficient
> means of
> filtering on a small scale?  How many hives might one need to manage
> before
> a higher capacity method might be required?
>
> Thanks in advance.  I'll look forward to reading responses the 1st of
> the week.
>
> Mike Swintosky
> Dellroy, Ohio
 
   Dear Mike,
 
Commercial honey production involves heating honey to around 155F,
adding diatomaceous filtering powder, and then filtering it through
about 15 paper filters.  The paper filters collect the powder, which is
porous.  The honey then comes through about 5" of clay-like powder.  It
is almost immediately crystal clear, and will not sugar up nearly as
quickly as otherwise.  The advantage to this is that the commercial
beekeeper can process a tank (in the case I am familiar with about 5
barrels) in about half a day, mostly waiting for the tank to heat up.
 
However, the product loses all its soul.  There are components of the
honey that are destroyed by heating, some of which are attributed to
giving 'local' honey its health-giving properties.  Mostly, it is not
necessary.  I have a few hives, and took off 200lbs of honey this fall.
I use a hive tool to uncap, a hand powered extractor with a stainless
steel strainer screen between it and the holding tank below.  I then put
a nylon strainer bag in a 5 gallon buttercream bucket from the local
grocery store bakery, and put the honey in it.  Very slowly, I pull the
bag out after letting it sit a couple days.  It then goes in a bottling
tank, and still, it sits a week before bottling.  A few specks and some
bubbles float to the top still, and I suppose some stray sand may settle
to the bottom, but it bottles completely clear.  I never use the very
last out of the bottling tank, (the foam and stray bits), but since it
is from just my hives and I know them to be disease free, I feed it back
to the bees.  I will get it next year if they don't eat it.  The product
is clear, pure honey that everyone tells me tastes much better, 'fuller'
than store bought, read heated, honey.  There are some few grains of
pollen in the honey, but, good.
I have worked both commercial and hobby bees, and really prefer the
home-made stuff.
 
Just my opinion,
 
Chris Kueny
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