Hello Lloyd & All,


.  Those specializing in comb honey want
> 3-5 comb honey supers a hive, and this requires a severe restriction
> in the brood nest; thus a maximum of a deep and a medium per hive.

I do not specialize in comb honey but I need to produce 30 or so boxes each 
season so will give a few thoughts.

1. I found trying to select hives or even which yards to try and produce 
comb honey in Missouri can be tricky plus all efforts can be troublesome 
*if* the main honey flow stops for one of several reasons. Which is why 
timing of placing comb honey supers is important. I *never* place comb honey 
supers before the main flow has been going for around a week.

2. Needless to say I have many super strong hives and various locations to 
choose from.

2.a. I never choose only one location and I add a few boxes of regular 
foundation to strong hives in a few yards to judge the wax drawing.

2B. Once I find the yard (yards) drawing the white comb *and* the hives 
filling supers I remove the extracting supers and place my comb honey supers 
on those hives.

2,c many times if the main flow slows (did not happen this year) I have to 
rotate the filled center combs to the outside to get the box fully drawn. 
Getting all the comb capped at times is a problem. Some hives seem to refuse 
to cap comb honey so boxes need moved to a hive which fill finish the job.

*if* I did not sell around 30 boxes of comb honey in chunk & as pound chunks 
retail ( profitable)
I would not produce comb honey as I loose a bunch of extracted honey by the 
process. Honey raw in drums is currently bring 1.75 U.S. ( current price on 
Midwest honey hot line for 10,000 pound lots)  only reached once before to 
my knowledge Quite a bit of labor involved in comb honey production.

Last year wholesale price for comb honey in shallow supers in the Midwest 
was 1.75 per pound. The price for around 20 plus supers less the weight of 
the boxes & frames.(approx.8 lbs.)
 A high price was around $2 a pound.

The best method for producing comb honey I found in Dr. C.C. miller's book 
"Fifty years among the bees" which involves producing comb honey over 
queenless bees. A system I used for many many years but very labor 
intensive. The method never failed me but the method I use now is easier.

Sincerely,
Bob Harrison 

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