# Pointers for Chunk Honey



## ZEEBEE (Aug 22, 2003)

Hi all,

I got lots of requests last year for chunk honey and had none. Plan on correcting that this year.
I have a few hives with medioum supers filled with pure wax foundation for the bees to build on.

What exactly do I need to do? Is it simply just cutting comb and putting it in the jar and them fill with liquid honey? Is there a standard size for the chunk?

I'm sure there are loads of pointers out there for me. I would aprreciate any assistance/clarification.

Thanks all.!!!

Mike


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## Grant (Jun 12, 2004)

I do a little chunk honey, which is preferred in this area to plain comb honey.

I use shallow supers. I cut the entire section of honey from the frame, then cut into 2-3/8" slices. The section of honey yields seven slices, which fit perfectly into a wide-mouth pint jar.

I use a good kitchen knife, nothing particularly fancy.

Grant
Jackson, MO


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I use a sharp knife to cut it. Some kind of spatula that fits through the mouth of the jar and will support the chunk is helpful so you can set in in gently. If you can make a template out of plexiglass or plastic that is used for quilt sqaures (at the sewing store) of the right size to fit your jar you can get more consistent "chunks".


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## BerkeyDavid (Jan 29, 2004)

I am curious how the chunk honey in quart jars sells v. extracted honey, also do you charge a higher price? How much do you charge for a quart jar of chunk honey? 

Do you put more than one chunk in each jar?

I do have some extra comb honey left when I am done with my comb honey from my top bar hive so it would be a place to put the extra to good use.

Thanks!


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>I am curious how the chunk honey in quart jars sells v. extracted honey

It sells very well. I sell a lot of both.

> also do you charge a higher price?

Of course.

> How much do you charge for a quart jar of chunk honey? 

You can get at least a couple of dollars more for the quart of chunk honey.

>Do you put more than one chunk in each jar?

That depends on the jar, the mouth size etc.

You can put four in this one:

http://www.beeequipment.com/products.asp?pcode=827


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## ZEEBEE (Aug 22, 2003)

Thanks for the advice guys. Its much appreciated.

The farmers who were growing corn last year have planted soy beans this year. Hopefully, I can get additional honey when they bloom!! I hear soy is a little unpredictable..

Thanks again!

Mike


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## King bee apiary (Feb 8, 2005)

Do you freeze your comb chucks before you put them into the jars?I had read on here that it would be best to freeze them as it would kill wax moth and shb larva.
We have lots of shb's and I would hate to sell it to someone and have them hatch....


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## Beemaninsa (Jun 9, 2004)

In my area chunk honey sells very well, even @ 30% above strained. I use shallow supers for chunk and use a bead of wax to hold in wireless comb foundation to frames. Use a strong hive to make comb honey. Harvest frames shortly after they are capped to avoid darkening. Make sure to use only FULLY CAPPED chunks. I freeze the honey, use a hot knife to cut and fill the jars about 1/3 full before I put the chunk in to help avoid breaking the chunks. My chunk honey sugars up faster than strained honey so use it up or store it away from 57 degrees. Comb can melt if jars are in direct sun.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Do you freeze your comb chucks before you put them into the jars?

I usually freeze the combs before I cut them.


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## beebee (Mar 16, 2006)

But I've heard lots of beekeepers say they just eat the comb and the honey fresh from the hive. Spread it on their toast... Does that mean I'm going to be eating wax moth larvae? ick.

Does freezing change the taste or consistency of the honey?

thanks








beebee


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>Does that mean I'm going to be eating wax moth larvae? ick.

Probably just eggs.

>Does freezing change the taste or consistency of the honey?

Not at all.


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## beebee (Mar 16, 2006)

Ewww. Guess I'll start freezing!


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## Beemaninsa (Jun 9, 2004)

'Does that mean I'm going to be eating wax moth larvae? ick."

Protein


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## dcross (Jan 20, 2003)

'Does that mean I'm going to be eating wax moth larvae? ick."


Put the big ones on a fishhook and catch a bigger hunk of protein!


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## King bee apiary (Feb 8, 2005)

Just finished my first comb honey extraction.Boy what a mess.Well it wasn't real bad,but I'd rather bottle the liquid honey.The worst part I think was cutting it,had to warm up the knife or it wouldn't go through the frozen comb which made for a mess..I hope it was worth it..
Good luck to everyone else


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## ekrouse (Aug 26, 2004)

I cut my chunk comb honey with dental floss (unflavored of course). Use the string kind, not the ribbon kind. Makes a nice clean cut without tearing up the comb or sticking like a knife. I just poke one end of the string through any hole/gap in the corner of the frame, then pull the string tight between both hands and pull it along!

Also, I use medium supers since I have standardized all equipment on this size. I also use starter strips for foundation and let the bees build beautiful large cell (drone size) comb. This results in less wax and more honey per bite for my customers. Then when I cut the comb with the dental floss, I leave about a 1/4" - 1/2" strip of comb as a starter strip for them to build off of. Just pop the frames back into the hive alternating with frames of drawn comb.


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## Beemaninsa (Jun 9, 2004)

So I guess whe you are done your unwaxed dental floss in now waxed?  Interesting idea.Thanks.


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## Grant (Jun 12, 2004)

Yep, I tried once to cut the frozen comb into chunks. It was a mess. I got the idea from someone who told me the big meat packers freeze pork bellies in order to make those perfectly sliced slabs of bacon. Well, what works for bacon doesn't transfer to comb honey. I ended up heating a sharp kitchen knife in hot water just to finish the job. Never again.

I freeze whole supers of comb honey (on shallow frames), then when I'm ready to cut, I bring them to room temperature overnight. A sharp knife works for me.

I made my own cutting board especially for cutting chunk honey, sanding a piece of plywood with super fine sandpaper (no finish). A shallow frame fits on it perfectly, and when I'm done, I can stand it in a five gallon bucket to catch the drippings and feed the honey back to the bees. This five gallon bucket also works to let the shallow frames "drain."

Is it messy, sure. But since I have customers who prefer it to plain comb honey, even the wonderful presentation of a Ross Round cassette, and since they are willing to pay a buck more for a pint ($6) over extracted honey, I'll put up with the mess.

Grant
Jackson, MO


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## ekrouse (Aug 26, 2004)

Grant,

Try the dental floss approach. Very little mess.


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## Dick Allen (Sep 4, 2004)

The dental floss works great. I cut some of mine the other day with a piece of it. Hardly any mess at all and a nice clean cut. Thanks for the tip.


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## Jim Fischer (Jan 5, 2001)

Guitar stings (the thin higher-note ones)
can be used in place of dental floss for
those who like a less flimsy cutting tool.
The work goes much faster if you attach
one end of the wire with a screw to your
cutting board or some other fixed point,
and use a wooden dowel as a handle for the
wire.

There are cheese knives that use a wire
under tension as the cutting blade, but I've
never seen one big enough to use on a medium
or shallow frame of cut comb.

Ross Rounds are much less messy, of course.


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## Dick Allen (Sep 4, 2004)

I don't have a guitar, though.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>I don't have a guitar, though.

And I'm not sure how many guitars I have...


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## Jim Fischer (Jan 5, 2001)

>> I don't have a guitar, though.

> And I'm not sure how many guitars I have...

Well, I might suggest a violin string, but
I am a staunch advocate of non-violins.


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## drobbins (Jun 1, 2005)

I have 7 but I had to go count them









Dave


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## tarheel bee (May 17, 2005)

Ukeleles! that ought to be the right size,good sound too. If your a ukelele kind a feller


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## power napper (Apr 2, 2005)

Guitar strings will even cut lead sleeves, attatch a link of chain (type that used to be used on coal fired furnace thermostats)







to the guitar string-the chain gives a non slip handle to pull with. This is how the phone company cable splicers cut the lead tubing that was used to make cable splices. Neat cut for sure.


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

I have a baritone ukelele too, but it's got plastic strings and I don't think they will work well.

I've never thought to put it that way, but I'm in favor of non-violins too.


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## cphilip (May 25, 2006)

Ok for the lack of a better way and lack of freezer space I did some this way yesterday morning. 

I cut a nice chunk of comb and slid it into a wide mouth Pint canning jar. Did 10 like this, then I took these over to a buddy that had freezer room and put them in his freezer. Plan is to fill them with honey tonight or tomorrow. This way I could set aside some of my comb before crushing the rest. And get that part out of the way. 

I also did 10 boxes of Cut Comb squares. And those I will leave in the freezer for now. Because they don't need additional bottling. 

But I will let you know how the Comb in the jar freezing came out. I plan to pick them up tonight. And fill them with honey.

[ August 01, 2006, 12:12 PM: Message edited by: cphilip ]


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## Cam (Sep 27, 2005)

I recently had an opportunity to pick up some regular mouth canning jars for $1.50 per box of a dozen. Do you all think the mouths of these jars are too small for chunk honey? Even if I cut narrower widths?


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## cphilip (May 25, 2006)

No... I certainly think it will do fine. I think you can work around it. You can put several slices in if you wish. Its all up to you and what presentation your going for I guess. One long centered slice, I think, looks nicer. But it can be narrow enough to go through a regular mouth jar and look good. Make it long and so it stands up at an angle on the jar when the Honey fills around it. Looks pretty.

[ August 01, 2006, 05:27 PM: Message edited by: cphilip ]


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