Hello Tim & All,
> Ok, here is one for the group. I'm in the planning stages of building a =
> honey house to extract, bottle, and store unused supers. Does anyone =
> have any good ideas for the size, layout, or any other "smart" =
> ideas/suggestions. I probably will have approximately 50 hives.=20

Most of the better bee books show layouts.  Make the Hh as large as you
think you might ever need.  In other words allow for expansion.  To small is
common mistake.  Make the doors as wide as possible.   Check with your local
health department before starting construction.  I have seen a large honey
house having the concrete removed with jack hammers because it didn't meet
code.  I didn't personally see but read the story in ABJ by Leon Metz I
believe.   In Missouri the health code is different for raw honey from the
farm than honey processed and bottled for sale in the stores.   If you ever
think you might sell in stores plan accordingly.   In most states if you
tell the health department you plan to recycle jars you will be in for a big
surprise. Commercial dishwasher with a temperature of at least 170 F. in
Missouri. Same as restaurants use.   Bars however can give a three stage
rinse and mix another drink for you.   Most bars don't even own a
dishwasher.  Hmmm. Always seemed funny to me as a person lips usually don't
touch a honey jar. Pooh bear is one notable exception!   Double dipping is a
concern of our Missouri health department.   The beekeeper selling the honey
has to dip and hand the sample to the customer according to our state health
department.
Sincerely,
Bob Harrison
Odessa, Missouri
Ps. Get the basics up to health department codes and you can add the little
things later. Get the big concerns wrong and they will shut you down till
things are up to their specs. Many small beekeepers extract and bottle in
violation of health codes . Like using their kitchen and selling honey. Not
really a problem unless one of your customers or competitors calls the
health department. Health codes in all 50 states are not the same so I only
know about Missouri.