Harvesting Honey: From Hive to Jar

There’s nothing more rewarding than harvesting honey from your own hives. In this hands-on class, you’ll learn the complete process of extracting honey while gaining the confidence to do it yourself at home.

Together, we’ll harvest honey from 2–3 frames using a hand-crank centrifugal extractor. Along the way, you’ll learn how to determine when honey is ready to harvest, how to remove bees from honey supers, uncap frames, extract honey, strain it, and prepare it for bottling.

We’ll also discuss the history of honey extraction, compare different extraction methods and equipment, and talk about the advantages and disadvantages of each. Whether you own an extractor or plan to rent one, you’ll leave with the knowledge needed to successfully harvest your own honey.

This class uses the same hand-crank extractor available through our equipment rental program, giving you practical experience with the equipment you’ll use if you choose to rent from Deseret Hive Supply.

Topics include:

• When honey is ready to harvest
• Removing bees from honey supers
• Uncapping honey frames
• Using a hand-crank centrifugal extractor
• Straining and bottling honey
• Different extraction methods and equipment
• Honey harvesting tips and best practices
• Cleaning and caring for extraction equipment

Who should attend: Beekeepers preparing to harvest honey for the first time or anyone wanting hands-on experience with the extraction process.