Honey

[indysafe317]

I am a big fan, so much so, I added two hives to my property this year as part of my preps. It has been an experience for me. I actually did very well with my honey and sell it myself. I am in New Palestine if anyone is looking for local honey straight from the hive. I have a craigslist add at.

https://post.craigslist.org/manage/3312071467

Mine is slightly more, it is 7.00 a pint or 5.00 for 12 oz but it comes in the decorative Bear containers which allot of people seem to like, If you bring your own container, I'd be happy to knock off a few dollars. I have about 3 gallons left from this season and may get one more batch of comb if anyone is interested. This would be cut straight off the frame.

Let me know if your interested either through craigslist or through here.

 

[CountryBoy19]

Honey has been one of my main preps for 4 years now...

I prefer not to buy it, I just steal it from my beehives.

I have 5 hives, 2 occupied right now, and I've been getting enough honey out of them to keep us in honey year-round and this year I had enough to surplus built up from years past that I felt comfortable selling it. Add $180 to my prep fund in honey sales...

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Two hives going strong. Harvested about 40lbs this year. Will probably add a hive or two next year.

That's really something I'd like to get in to. How much were your start up costs? How'd you learn to beekeep?

 

[nighthawk80]

Tag for info. I live in town so it's a no-go for my own beehives, but I would be interested in going in on a group buy!!!

 

[Stschil]

That's really something I'd like to get in to. How much were your start up costs? How'd you learn to beekeep?

I bought nuke hives from a local bee keeper last spring. Plus the two kits, which included hive bodies, frames, foundations, base and top, gloves, smoker, hive tools, beekeeping book, and a bonnet. I'd have to check my records, but I think we put about $360 in start up cash. Later, I bought two more deep body supers, two shallow supers, ten frames for each, and an extra 20 frames for the deep supers.

The initial stuff I bought from Tracy Hunter at Hunter's Honey Farm near Martinsville. He also gave use a bee keeping basics class and has bees great about answering questions that I've had.

The other equipment, I purchased from Graham's Beeworks in Morgantown.


The bees are really cool little things. I like to just sit near the hives and watch them come and go sometimes. They are fascinating.

 

[scatwater]

I got started by taking a class from the Indiana beekeepers school. (use google fu to find it) For a newbie it was a nice benifit you get a two day class and hands on getting your hive built. They have locations all through out the state in January usually. That is a thing to know if your going to get bee's you usually have to order them in January. With the CCD sometimes there doesnt appear to be enough bees to go around. Im addicted had my first swarm in August this year... Chased them across the field before a fence row came between them and my car. I hope they make it.. but that is a different dicussion. The really big thing about beekeeping like anything else is.. You just have to get your hands into it to learn about it. Ask a 4 beekeepers how they do something and you will get 4 different answers.

 

[CathyInBlue]

Hey! I got a reply from the Riley Honey Farm!

We have gallon containers which hold 12 lbs. of honey. The price is $55.00/gal. We also have quart canning jars which hold 3 lbs. at $15.50. These can be purchased at Baeslers, at our house if you call to set up a time (898-1385). We are also at the Downtown Farmer's market. Through October it meets every Sat. from 9-12 in the Clabber Girl Parking lot. Through the winter it meets the first Sat. of every month in Clabber Girl.

On Sun, Oct 7, 2012 at 4:41 PM, CathyInBlue wrote:
> I'm looking to lay in a supply of 10 lbs. of honey into my pantry and would
> like to buy local to Terre Haute. How much would you charge for such an
> order and in what containers would it be packaged?
>

$55/gal!!!! Ouch. I'll have to see if this premium would be worth it over the Sam's Club specials. I sure hope it is.

 

[indysafe317]

Hey! I got a reply from the Riley Honey Farm!
$55/gal!!!! Ouch. I'll have to see if this premium would be worth it over the Sam's Club specials. I sure hope it is.

Just making sure you know that store bought honey is nothing like raw local honey. They heat treat it which basically kills everything that makes it medicinally and nutritionally valuable and useful. Not saying it's still not good, but definitely not the same. Something to think about.

 

[Stschil]

Hey! I got a reply from the Riley Honey Farm!
$55/gal!!!! Ouch. I'll have to see if this premium would be worth it over the Sam's Club specials. I sure hope it is.

Hunter's in Martinsville sells 5 gallon pails full for about $150. You might ask the folks you are in contact with about larger quantities. Don't worry, it will not spoil. We keep a bucket of honey in the pantry, it crystallizes, but we fill a wide mouthed mason jar and warm it in a pan of water.

Just making sure you know that store bought honey is nothing like raw local honey. They heat treat it which basically kills everything that makes it medicinally and nutritionally valuable and useful. Not saying it's still not good, but definitely not the same. Something to think about.

Good advice. I'd like to add this. I was never a fan of honey until I had my first taste of raw local honey. Huge difference! Plus, since its not diluted, you will use less.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Might try the Indiana BeeKeepers Association.
Indiana Beekeepers Association - Local Honey
They have a list on their site, but it's not comprehensive. You might also check your local green grocers or farmers market.

There's also the Indiana State Beekeepers Association.

Indiana State Beekeepers Association, Inc.

Thanks, I'll look into it. I have rural property, but I have to go 3-4 weeks between visits so most "livestock" is out of the question since I can't properly care for it. Bees seem like they'd be pretty self sufficient once you set up their little apartment complexes.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Thrive now has Freeze dried honey crystal...you can see them at Tresia Thompson - Online Store. But then Honey never goes bad...so might be a more of a fun food.

The Muslims believe honey is a gift of God, the only perfect food source that never spoils.

 

[ThrottleJockey]

Freeze drying it would certainly reduce the weight if you need to go mobile....? There is an old Woman about a mile from us that used to keep bees and sold the honey but her health has taken a turn the last few years. I may just see if she has any hives, knowledge and other equip to share. For those with hives, how labor/attention intense is it? I have heard many tales about severe allergies actually being cured by consuming local honey from nearby hives but the further you get the honey from where you actually live, the less effective it becomes....Don't know if it's true, but I've heard it from a lot of different places.

 

[CountryBoy19]

Just a small update: I added to my "honey preps" last night. Got connected with a guy that had bees living in his shed. I don't normally do cutouts but it was easy to get to, I didn't have to worry about making a mess, and didn't have to put the shed back together when I was done. In the end it was probably worth my time but it sure didn't feel like it at the time. It was a lot further from my house than I had been told. I just ripped the panelling off the inside wall of the shed and went to town. I discovered there were actually 2 separate hives in the wall and I only came prepared for one. Since the owner was going to poison what was left of them anyways, I went ahead and cut out all the comb and honey from the 2nd hive so it wouldn't go to waste and left the bees behind.

So I gained 1 new hive of bees (I think I got the queen but not positive), about 40 pounds of honey & wax, and a free LP tank that was sitting in his shed rusting away (I asked if he wanted/needed it and he said I could have it).

The hive I transplanted from the wall into my hive box was so heavy with honey I could barely lift the box when I was done.

 

[Survivalcookie]

I've never had a crystallization problem with my 4" dia, 11" tall plastic Sue Bee honey bottle, and I've been using it for about 2 years.

I had one crystallize on me last year...I was able to get it back into liquid form by cutting the bottle off and putting it into a glass jar. Been using this honey for years and first one to crystallize on me. So now better safe than sorry. Beside I love the look of it in the glass jars.

 

[Survivalcookie]

The Muslims believe honey is a gift of God, the only perfect food source that never spoils.

Well at least they got that right....I read somewhere that 2000 year old crystallize honey was found and it was still good.

 

[melensdad]

Yes I am considering honey as a prep. I am thinking a 5 gallon bucket, Maybe 2 for right now. Keep me in the loop please.

Uh, the diabetic man wants 10 gallons of honey