# Bulk Sugar



## Harley Craig (Sep 18, 2012)

WOW Isn't that expensive for bulk? I buy 4lb bags at Ruler Foods for .89 a bag...............Granted they have a 10 bag a day limit so that wouldn't do you any good.


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## snl (Nov 20, 2009)

Harley, that was last years price.......lot cheaper this year....


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## Robbin (May 26, 2013)

Chip Euliss said:


> I need to buy 5-6,000 lbs of sugar. Anybody know where I can get it for cheap? I bought 5,000 lbs last year for .40/lb from United Sugars; it came in 50# bags, 2500# per pallet.
> 
> Thanks in advance!
> Chip


Chip, are you feeding bees with that much sugar? I'm trying to envision how many hives that would be for..


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## Chip Euliss (Sep 2, 2010)

Only 800 and 6,000 lbs won't even make a gallon for each hive. Heavy syrup is about 12 lbs per gallon so 6,000 lbs would need 3,000 lbs of water at a 2:1 ratio for heavy syrup. 9,000/12 will make 750 gallons. A little short of what I need but I have already have 3,000 lbs in the warehouse


Robbin said:


> Chip, are you feeding bees with that much sugar? I'm trying to envision how many hives that would be for..


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## Riskybizz (Mar 12, 2010)

http://www.dipuresweeteners.com/


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## Stanger (Mar 4, 2013)

As an employee of michigan sugar, i can only suggest michigan sugar.. It is hands down the best sugar in the world.. How do i know you ask? Because i made it


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## MNV28 (Jan 27, 2010)

I heard you can get sugar in 50lb bags from Mann Lake for around .35lb might be worth checking out.


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## Chip Euliss (Sep 2, 2010)

Thanks. I emailed Mann Lake and the place Riskybizz suggested.


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## Chip Euliss (Sep 2, 2010)

Stanger said:


> As an employee of michigan sugar, i can only suggest michigan sugar.. It is hands down the best sugar in the world.. How do i know you ask? Because i made it


Stanger, I tried to send an email to Michigan Sugar but it bounced. Who might I contact for a quote? Thanks, Chip


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## NW_Mark (Jan 23, 2012)

Costco?


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## buzzsaw (Jul 2, 2011)

I checked Costco last weekend and they were priced at $8.59 for 25# or $0.3436 per pound.


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## RAK (May 2, 2010)

Why dont you get syrup from Dakota Gunness. They are located in Abercrombie ND. 

I think the corn was cheaper than sucrose.


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## Chip Euliss (Sep 2, 2010)

Used to feed syrup but I feel the bees do best on sugar.


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## mnbeekeeper (Jun 30, 2010)

Chip Euliss said:


> Used to feed syrup but I feel the bees do best on sugar.


i would also like to feed sugar this fall and winter because i think they like the sugar more and do way better on it. are you worried about putting on enough weight with sugar. i hear it stimulates them so much they eat it so fast and never retain weight. i dont want to have to go to texas twice a month to feed sugar. please let us know where you end up buying your sugar from. thanks....


i emailed that dipure sweetners once and they responded with a order form. then i tried to send a email putting in a order and never heard anything again. good luck

hey rainsridge. if i sent a truck to you would you put the sugar on???


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## RAK (May 2, 2010)

I get mine from The amalgamated sugar co(aka white satin) in ID. They might have a location in Dakotas. Call them and ask. 

Sucrose syrup is also available from D. gunness. It's not as cost effective as mixing your own but not everyone likes to mix.


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## RAK (May 2, 2010)

mnbeekeeper said:


> i would also like to feed sugar this fall and winter because i think they like the sugar more and do way better on it. are you worried about putting on enough weight with sugar. i hear it stimulates them so much they eat it so fast and never retain weight.


Last fall I put on weight with sugar. We made a syrup 66% solid. Used hot water and heated it up as close to boiling as we could and dumped in some citric acid. The syrup would turn clear just like fructose. Pumped them 3 gal sucrose instead of 2 gal 77% fructose and they were heavy. Shipping them that winter became a real task with all the weight.


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## kbfarms (Jan 28, 2010)

Why do you put citric in your syrup and how much? Thx!


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## Chip Euliss (Sep 2, 2010)

I wound up buying 7,500 lbs from D&I Sweeteners but they can ship through Mann Lake if you don't want to send a truck. Chris Cruse (877-879-4195) was the person I dealt with. 0.35 per pound and shipping would vary depending on where you need it delivered. 

I've fed heavy syrup the past 2 falls and have been pleased with the results. They gained weight but I fed heaviest just before they cluster. I ship to a colleague in CA who takes care of them through almonds and oranges. He feeds syrup and pollen patties.


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## johnbeejohn (Jun 30, 2013)

just went to Costco 17.47 I think per 50 lb bag


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## Jed (Feb 23, 2013)

kbfarms said:


> Why do you put citric in your syrup and how much? Thx!


i would like to know too


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## rainesridgefarm (Sep 4, 2001)

I PM you


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## kbfarms (Jan 28, 2010)

didn't find a pm, can you resend? thx


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## RAK (May 2, 2010)

Why do I use citric acid?

I use 2 cup of citric acid per heated 300 gal tote of syrup to break the sucrose into glucose and fructose. I add in some snake oil and the syrup stores forever without crystalizing or fermenting.

Gen rule. is 1 teaspoon per 5 gal syrup.


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## Gambit (Feb 12, 2013)

Costco has 25lb bags here in FL for 8.89.


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## Jed (Feb 23, 2013)

RAK said:


> break the sucrose into glucose and fructose


can u explain why you want it changed from sucrose to glucose and fructose


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## rainesridgefarm (Sep 4, 2001)

The bees do not have to work so hard to do it. Honey is glucose and fructose with other high saccharides. nectar is mostly Sucrose and the bees invert it to make it honey so it stores. If you invert it for them it makes it easier for them to store it. Commercial beekeepers have been doing this for decades.


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## kbfarms (Jan 28, 2010)

thanks!


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## grozzie2 (Jun 3, 2011)

RAK said:


> I add in some snake oil and the syrup stores forever without crystalizing or fermenting.


If you harvest venom from the hives fed snake oil syrup, it cures cancer....


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## Johnny (Sep 7, 2007)

Chip Euliss said:


> I wound up buying 7,500 lbs from D&I Sweeteners



Not that it matters...but I believe their sugar is beets not cane.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

> Not that it matters...but I believe their sugar is beets not cane.

Well, this page indicates D&I Pure Sweeteners offers _both _cane and beet sugar. Currently both are the same price:

http://www.dipuresweeteners.com/


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## Johnny (Sep 7, 2007)

Rader Sidetrack said:


> > Not that it matters...but I believe their sugar is beets not cane.
> 
> Well, this page indicates D&I Pure Sweeteners offers _both _cane and beet sugar. Currently both are the same price:
> 
> ...


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## Chip Euliss (Sep 2, 2010)

Is there a difference in the sugar from beets versus cane?


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

>Is there a difference in the sugar from beets versus cane?

Here is the opinion of Cargill, who sells both beet and cane sugar:


> And, both cane sugar and beet sugar are refined until they are 99.9%+ sucrose. While the impurities and minerals in cane sugar and beet sugar can differ slightly, the fact is those impurity levels are so low (<0.1%) there is almost no functional or sensorial difference between sugar that comes from cane or beet. Once they are refined to sucrose, they are typically interchangeable.
> 
> http://www.cargillfoods.com/na/en/p...ar/market-knowledge/beet-cane-sugar/index.jsp


Some people object to beet sugar as they believe that it may be grown as a GMO crop, and is therefore to be avoided.


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## grozzie2 (Jun 3, 2011)

Chip Euliss said:


> Is there a difference in the sugar from beets versus cane?


I don't have the link handy but we asked Rogers sugar about this. The initial response was that once refined, a lab cannot distinguish them chemically. When pressed farther, they did tell us how to differentiate sugar from the tabor plant (beets) vs from Vancouver (cane) by referencing lot numbers on the bags. They did conceded that most farmers are growing gmo beets, but the processor can't tell if any specific delivery of beets is gmo or not.


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## Waterbird17 (Apr 30, 2012)

ever try fondant? might work better for ya


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