Top Bar Hive

Harvesting Honey from Top bar Hives

Top bar hives use a hanging bar that contains honey filled combs. These bars usually hang without ceiling or floors that support them, which gives ample ventilation to the bees and the structure permits easy access to the beekeepers, who will inspect the honeycomb for possible infection among the bees. This kind of method is the most common, as it is widely used, and it is also the cheapest and most practical way of producing honey from the bees.

In harvesting, raw honey is being extracted from several adjacent bars, probably 3 or more bars that contains honey filled combs. Harvesting time comes when the comb are filled, covered and dried. Harvesting the comb prematurely should be avoided, as it is not only disrespectful to the bees, but it could also cause a low yield.

The extracted bars from the top bar hives are compressed in a screen and goes into the bucket for draining. In the presence of any pollen cells, removing and mixing it with a small amount of honey can produce an anti-allergenic honey solution. Careful heating may then be required to drain additional honey from the hive, and this can be done by using a broiler or simply placing it under the heat of the sun with a clear top cover which enables the sun’s rays to penetrate the pot’s content.

All forms of honey such as honey comb, honey pollen, and plain honey mix should be accustomed in for a day in order for the anti-bacterial features of the honey to be potent. For sanitary purposes honey comb should always be coated with liquid honey.

Raw honey always has its distinct taste as compared to the pasteurized ones found in commercial supermarkets. The location from which the honey came and the condition of the weather also affects its taste. People often believe that locally produced raw honey can cure certain pollen allergies around the areas where it is being made. It is believed that the pollen content of that local raw honey is also the pollen that causes allergies in local people. By the course of nature, bees extract that pollen and mix it with honey to become a cure for the allergies.

Harvested honey can then be placed on jars while crushed comb honey may then be placed on clear tubs. It is imperative that the honey be kept in covered containers, otherwise moisture might set in and cause the honey to become diluted, which may lead to fermenting.