Well MG-- what an interesting thread you have begun. 75 pounds from three hives...and to think that this amount is only half of what was there! That's quite nice. My three little beginning hives barely had enough honey and so I had to supplement that with some concentrated sugar solution so they'd have enough food to make it through the winter. If they come through the winter I am expecting them to really get going. I am weighing whether to combine or to develop and re-inforce the ones that I have. One could possible need splitting, but we'll see. Anyway--back to your great posting: I was also surprised to learn that skunks would molest your bees. We do not have these beasts here, so I guess that it is something that I have never thought about. Here the big probs are mice, rats and woodpeckers. It was nice to hear how much honey you got from 16 frames. I reckon they were pretty full then. I can see that a hand crank would be heavy work. I have slung honey with my mentor. he had an electric one, and even then it took the both of us quite a while...the better part of a day. I enjoy anything that you or Carolyn write about bees. I feel that because of the serious condition of the bees now-a-days that it would be nice if more folks would try beekeeping.... or at least planting more plants that are rich in pollen and nectar.
