Honey Extraction and Thanksgiving

It has been awhile since my last post.  I hope to catch up.  We have been busy with the Christmas season.  So, what has been happening???  We finally got the honey extracted!  It was a fun process and nice family time :)   On a Friday morning, I packed up the kids and myself and we went up to the farm.  My Father in Law started a fire to warm up the wax on frame and fired up the decapping knife.  He also got the extractor all set up.

Jack spinning the extractor

First filtering of honey

The finished product

So, here is what we did.  Once the uncapping knife was all heated up we uncapped a frame on both sides by sliding the hot knife down over the wax cappings.  This is caught by a bucket below with a strainer to drain the cappings.  Then the frame was placed in the extractor.  When four frames were uncapped and placed in the extractor, the extractor top was closed and then one of us spun the top.  First it was necessary to start out slow and then as the honey was pulled out of the frame we would speed up the spinning.  The honey gate on the extractor was opened and the honey drained into a bucket which had a sieve lined with a sheer curtain for the first filtering.  This was repeated until the bucket was full of honey.  Then this bucket was drained into another bucket which was also fitted with a sieve lined with a sheer curtain for the second and final filtering.  It is from this second bucket that we filled the mason jars.  The process was repeated until all frames were emptied.  Then the clean up began.  This whole process took the entire day and believe me it was sticky business the kids the honey in their hair and I had wax on my clothes.  It was great fun.

Davy's first plane ride

We did take a break however, we were invited to take a plane ride around the lake.  The plane was very small and held only four people.  There was less room in the interior of the plan then in the inside of my vehicle!  The first trip consisted of the pilot, the boys, and myself.  Jack even got to sit up front.  This was David's first plane ride.  I can't tell you how beautiful it was and the pictures don't do the view of the lake and mountains justice.  The kids loved it and now they both talk about being pilots.  For the second ride my Mother in Law took my spot.  I have to say it was very scary to have my kids up in the air without me.  But, I am glad they had a good time with their Grandmother and of course all was well.  

Jack in the front seat

Accident, MD

McHenry, MD

For Thanksgiving, we had a great time at the farm.  Family came in from California and the food was fabulous.  The weather was crazy cold, snowy, and windy.  The men and Jack went hunting on the following Saturday. Unfortunately, both Jack and John were unsuccessful at getting a deer, maybe next year.  Also, at Thanksgiving is when we have our family gift exchange drawing.  This year I got to be my Father in Law's Secret Santa.  I was lucky enough to find one of the gifts he wanted we my Sister in Law and I were antique shopping while the guys were hunting.  After Thanksgiving, Christmas got into full swing here...cooking, planning, decorating, shopping, baking, wrapping, Santa, and Jingle our Elf on the Shelf made a visit.  I will post about this sometime soon.  

I hope all had wonderful Thanksgiving and that even though it is a very hectic time of year you took the time to be thankful for all the ways the Lord has blessed you.  God bless!!!