Awesome video. Loved seeing your operation and how you have it organized. Warming box is neat, and your bottling tank on the lift cart. I need to upgrade to the warming tank. I usually don’t have honey left this time of year, but this year is the first. I might come home with one from the expo if it will fit in my car. lol. Bottling my last bucket this weekend probably.
Well I gotta tell you, the tank is the one thing, that if I had to go back to the very beginning with the makeshift equipment and two frame plastic extractor, the one thing I would keep out of everything is the tank. When you need honey fast, you need it fast. Having to wait a night or so to warm containers, especially a dozen or so is such a thorn in my side. With the tank, you have honey always at the ready. I think there will be a small one there from a certain supplier that will fit just fine in you car😁😁. Thanks for the view and comment!!
@@MikeBarryBees I think you may have talked me into it. LOL I bought a few of those dipped hive components from Natures Image, and some HillCo Stuff, and another Apimaye Nuc and a couple of their bottoms. I will likely have a car full. (I got a new 2025 Prius), so it don't hold a lot. lol I bought me a little two wheeler to tote the stuff to my car. I could probably seatbelt that tank in the passenger seat. LOL 😃😃
Nice to see your candles - been making a lot too and even tried some less expensive molds off of Amazon and was pleased with the results especially a combo set of three different evergreen trees and a small pinecone - couldn't beat the price and those trees have been very good holiday sellers this year.
We like having several designs available. They seem pretty well. I’ve not tried any from Amazon, but for now I’m limited in time until I can retire one day.
I'm in SC and if history holds the maples will bloom in 6-7 weeks and we will start again, which suits me. I'm doing my final pop the top inspections and locking them down. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Great video Mike! Really enjoyed the explanation of what you do for markets and how you package and sell your honey. How do you make those packets? Neat idea. Thanks again for taking the time to do this VLOG, great stuff!
I am a couple weeks behind you. I have one more hive to either combine or shake out and entrance reducers to put on. My comb honey didn't sell all that well this year. I even reduced the price to $10. Creamed honey did fantastic. I am out of everything now except for my lovely wife's stash. Plan on building up more next year. Still debating on going to the expo this year but may see you there.
Well Billy, the way I figure, if you’re going to build up more, best to go to the expo and save some cash😂😂. Well, I guess the savings would go toward the travel and all ☹️☹️. But then again, you’d break even and get to see some good lectures. But then again ☹️☹️, you’d see all that stuff and buy even more than you needed, thus defeating the purpose of saving money. ☹️☹️☹️. I don’t know what I’m saying😂😂. Two years ago we lowered our price to move the combs, and they moved. We took it back up this season because they’re just worth it, and to my surprise, they’re going even better than before.
Man I gotta say this is one of my favorites of your videos. A look into products you sell. Thanks for sharing. Great ideas for us out here trying to figure things out.
Thanks Mike for another great year of VLOG! I've watched for how many years now? Looking forward to saying thanks at NAHBE as I did at HiveLIFE two years ago. Can't wait to see what you plan for next year. This is indeed the time to decide what is next.
Lord willing I'll be there and look forward to meeting up with everyone. Truly a great time chatting and telling storied. I sure appreciate your long time support and the kind words!!
Hello Mike sure have enjoyed the trips in your experiences in an off the yard . I think we all have had a odd season with ups an downs but that is all part of being a Bee keeper. With at all being different with each trip that just helps to keep us on our toes an to keep our gears turning as it makes us remember that Mother Nature knows what it is doing weather we think it is good or bad . Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving and able to spend time relaxing with Family . THANKS
I filled and weighed them all. It’s tedious but I think they sell ok enough for the trouble. The little packs are on Amazon. They’re sealable food packs, smallest size.
I have Todd. Some weekends the glass quarts sell out over the plastic. The sales still don’t surpass the plastic, but glass is selling way more now than say three years ago. I actually have to pick up a few more cases from the distributor next week.
Hi Mike. Your small single packets are better than the fake honey packets they give out at the chicken restaurants for their biscuits. Perfect on the tables for tea too. 🍯😋🫖🍞
So Nancy, that’s a quiet box. The stand was my idea, the box was Scotty’s, from up in Northern Ontario. I messed it up with the screen bottom and I need to eventually fix that. But with the black vinyl cover, I didn’t want the bees to get too hot, being I’m a lot farther south than Scotty. But what it does is when you’re inspecting, you put the frame of bees, even the one with the queen, into the dark box and cover it with the vinyl top, and they just chill out on the frame. Keeps everyone calm. He uses vinyl covers on the box he’s inspecting too. He rolls it back off the frames as he pulls each one. It keeps the bees hunkered down and calm. With mine, the screen bottom lets light in and the bees crawl everywhere. So when I go to take the frame out, the bees have gone all over the box and vinyl and everywhere. I want to use it again one day on light inspection days, just haven’t fixed the bottom.
Hey Mike. I did the math and can buy assembled frames with plastic foudation from Hillco cheaper without the work. One part of beekeeping I don't enjoy.
Hello Terry. I have them made by a local company in Baton Rouge named Vivid Ink Graphics. I also uses to use AdGraphics in Harahan. Both do local and nationwide. Take care Brother!
Hi Mike! Thanks for sharing what you are doing and making. I liked seeing your work shop and how you do things! It looks like you had a successful season. How many colonies do you have? I was pleased with my little operation of 8 colonies. They made 270 pounds of honey this year, which is my best yet in 5 years of beekeeping. My bees did an awesome job this year and are all set for the winter here in Western PA. I left plenty of honey on them and they will be getting some Hive Alive Fondant patties for insurance. I'm pleased with the mite treatments. Thanks for sharing your beekeeping adventures 😊 🐝🐝
I’m glad you enjoy the channel!!! And thanks for your continued support!! I keep 35 to 45 colonies at any given time. They keep me busy. We have to find where we’re comfortable the way I figure. Glad you had a great season and hope you have a really great over-winter with the hives. Sounds like you have a great plan.
Thanks for the tour of your honey house, really liked your setup!
Thanks Tommy, Glad you enjoyed it!
Managing a super organism is like a good game of chess, happy thanksgiving!
Now that is a mouthful and an interesting way to look at it. I love it!! Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!!
Awesome video. Loved seeing your operation and how you have it organized. Warming box is neat, and your bottling tank on the lift cart. I need to upgrade to the warming tank. I usually don’t have honey left this time of year, but this year is the first. I might come home with one from the expo if it will fit in my car. lol. Bottling my last bucket this weekend probably.
Well I gotta tell you, the tank is the one thing, that if I had to go back to the very beginning with the makeshift equipment and two frame plastic extractor, the one thing I would keep out of everything is the tank. When you need honey fast, you need it fast. Having to wait a night or so to warm containers, especially a dozen or so is such a thorn in my side. With the tank, you have honey always at the ready. I think there will be a small one there from a certain supplier that will fit just fine in you car😁😁. Thanks for the view and comment!!
@@MikeBarryBees I think you may have talked me into it. LOL I bought a few of those dipped hive components from Natures Image, and some HillCo Stuff, and another Apimaye Nuc and a couple of their bottoms. I will likely have a car full. (I got a new 2025 Prius), so it don't hold a lot. lol I bought me a little two wheeler to tote the stuff to my car. I could probably seatbelt that tank in the passenger seat. LOL 😃😃
Down time is always welcome 🙏
Yes indeed !! Hope y’all had a great Thanksgiving Jody!!
Thanks for the video Mike.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
My pleasure Tom and hope you and yours had a great Thanksgiving!!
Mike - Another nice video. It's probably a large club - the fret over bees at the end of the season association!
You may be saying you are rambling on, but we love it Mike. Thanks for your videos.
Nice to see your candles - been making a lot too and even tried some less expensive molds off of Amazon and was pleased with the results especially a combo set of three different evergreen trees and a small pinecone - couldn't beat the price and those trees have been very good holiday sellers this year.
We like having several designs available. They seem pretty well. I’ve not tried any from Amazon, but for now I’m limited in time until I can retire one day.
lol you are lucky to have such a nice winters
We are freezing up here in Canada 😂
Yes, we definitely have warm winters, but it would be nice to take a longer break. We’ll be back at it in two months😲😲
@ that’s crazy mine have been in the boxes sense October won’t see them until April
I'm in SC and if history holds the maples will bloom in 6-7 weeks and we will start again, which suits me. I'm doing my final pop the top inspections and locking them down. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Great video Mike! Really enjoyed the explanation of what you do for markets and how you package and sell your honey. How do you make those packets? Neat idea. Thanks again for taking the time to do this VLOG, great stuff!
I am a couple weeks behind you. I have one more hive to either combine or shake out and entrance reducers to put on. My comb honey didn't sell all that well this year. I even reduced the price to $10. Creamed honey did fantastic. I am out of everything now except for my lovely wife's stash. Plan on building up more next year. Still debating on going to the expo this year but may see you there.
Well Billy, the way I figure, if you’re going to build up more, best to go to the expo and save some cash😂😂. Well, I guess the savings would go toward the travel and all ☹️☹️. But then again, you’d break even and get to see some good lectures. But then again ☹️☹️, you’d see all that stuff and buy even more than you needed, thus defeating the purpose of saving money. ☹️☹️☹️. I don’t know what I’m saying😂😂. Two years ago we lowered our price to move the combs, and they moved. We took it back up this season because they’re just worth it, and to my surprise, they’re going even better than before.
Man I gotta say this is one of my favorites of your videos. A look into products you sell. Thanks for sharing. Great ideas for us out here trying to figure things out.
I've found with the tall tapers that it may help to give the mold a slight gentle twist in two directions to release the candle within.
Yes, that’s what I finally figured out. You might’ve commented that a few weeks back though Nancy😁😁. Might’ve saved the two I broke😂😂😂
Mike, I hope you make videos when you make your creamed honey. I have not done that yet, and I hope to learn something.
Thanks Mike for another great year of VLOG! I've watched for how many years now? Looking forward to saying thanks at NAHBE as I did at HiveLIFE two years ago. Can't wait to see what you plan for next year. This is indeed the time to decide what is next.
Lord willing I'll be there and look forward to meeting up with everyone. Truly a great time chatting and telling storied. I sure appreciate your long time support and the kind words!!
For still working, you are busy 😊
Mike, love your blog videos! How many hives do you have?
Thanks and glad you enjoy the channel!! I have 40 hives. Thanks for watching!!
Hello Mike sure have enjoyed the trips in your experiences in an off the yard . I think we all have had a odd season with ups an downs but that is all part of being a Bee keeper. With at all being different with each trip that just helps to keep us on our toes an to keep our gears turning as it makes us remember that Mother Nature knows what it is doing weather we think it is good or bad . Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving and able to spend time relaxing with Family . THANKS
Love the candles. See you at NAHBE.
Thanks Brian and looking forward to seeing you!!
Enjoyed the video Mike. Lots of great info.
Thanks Greg. Hope you are well.
Thanks Mike.
Have a fine Thanksgiving.
On the honey packet did you package the honey? Where can you buy the packets to fill with honey? Thanks
I filled and weighed them all. It’s tedious but I think they sell ok enough for the trouble. The little packs are on Amazon. They’re sealable food packs, smallest size.
Mike…have you noticed a difference lately in glass selling more than plastic? And where do you find those pouches?
I have Todd. Some weekends the glass quarts sell out over the plastic. The sales still don’t surpass the plastic, but glass is selling way more now than say three years ago. I actually have to pick up a few more cases from the distributor next week.
Hi Mike. Your small single packets are better than the fake honey packets they give out at the chicken restaurants for their biscuits. Perfect on the tables for tea too. 🍯😋🫖🍞
I'm thinking about getting a Hillco Extractor in 2025. If the creeks don't rise and God's willing.
Mike whats in the box on the tripod? See it in your videos occasionally but don't think you've ever commented upon it.
So Nancy, that’s a quiet box. The stand was my idea, the box was Scotty’s, from up in Northern Ontario. I messed it up with the screen bottom and I need to eventually fix that. But with the black vinyl cover, I didn’t want the bees to get too hot, being I’m a lot farther south than Scotty. But what it does is when you’re inspecting, you put the frame of bees, even the one with the queen, into the dark box and cover it with the vinyl top, and they just chill out on the frame. Keeps everyone calm. He uses vinyl covers on the box he’s inspecting too. He rolls it back off the frames as he pulls each one. It keeps the bees hunkered down and calm. With mine, the screen bottom lets light in and the bees crawl everywhere. So when I go to take the frame out, the bees have gone all over the box and vinyl and everywhere. I want to use it again one day on light inspection days, just haven’t fixed the bottom.
Hey Mike. I did the math and can buy assembled frames with plastic foudation from Hillco cheaper without the work. One part of beekeeping I don't enjoy.
Mike can you share where those honey packs came from? I am a type 1 diabetic bee keeper and love that to carry packs of honey with me.
I just hate having to clean up waxmoth damage equipment but trying to save all I can for one more year. Spending money on sugar with savings.
What do you sell your 1 gallon jugs for ?
I do $75 for those.
I've had a couple people ask me about buying a gallon but I'm not sure how to price it how much do you generally sell a gallon for
I sell gallons for $75. I do half gallon jars for $40, so the gallon gives the bulk buyer a better deal.
Mike I’m a type 1 diabetic and would like to know where you got the pouches from.
They are on Amazon and I just fill and seal them.
Br Mike who makes your labels
Hello Terry. I have them made by a local company in Baton Rouge named Vivid Ink Graphics. I also uses to use AdGraphics in Harahan. Both do local and nationwide. Take care Brother!
He left your frames sitting outside at the end of the shed and I accidentally backed into them in the fill in the back of my truck.lol.
Hi Mike! Thanks for sharing what you are doing and making. I liked seeing your work shop and how you do things! It looks like you had a successful season. How many colonies do you have?
I was pleased with my little operation of 8 colonies. They made 270 pounds of honey this year, which is my best yet in 5 years of beekeeping. My bees did an awesome job this year and are all set for the winter here in Western PA. I left plenty of honey on them and they will be getting some Hive Alive Fondant patties for insurance. I'm pleased with the mite treatments. Thanks for sharing your beekeeping adventures 😊 🐝🐝
I’m glad you enjoy the channel!!! And thanks for your continued support!! I keep 35 to 45 colonies at any given time. They keep me busy. We have to find where we’re comfortable the way I figure. Glad you had a great season and hope you have a really great over-winter with the hives. Sounds like you have a great plan.