LA Backwards Beekeeper Roberta writes:
This weekend the Palos Verdes 4H group, their leader Dee, Backwards Beekeeper Steve and I met up to learn how to do crush-and-strain honey extraction. Before we got started the group discussed their fair project which will include an observation hive set-up and a display of beekeeping equipment.
It was rainy but I took a quick peek in Dee's hive and took out some uncapped nectar cells to practice with. We passed it around and everyone took a close look at the glistening nectar. It wasn't capped yet so not ready for honey extraction but we planned on eating it right away.
Everyone took a try at crushing the honeycomb with the paint scraper (a new one) and then we strained it through a paint strainer. The best part was the double dipping tasting of the Pierce College cutout honey from Dennis and the new nectar that we had just extracted.
In spectacular fashion the honey was washed down with Oreo cookies and fruit juice. Whoa, sugar rush!!
Wait till June when we do a big batch and pull out the honey bucket. Dee also has a honey centrifuge extractor that we'll try out.
—roberta
Here's a video explaining more about crush-and-strain honey harvesting.
