Gregory T. Russian

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since Oct 20, 2015
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Recent posts by Gregory T. Russian

A horizontal hive for Canada would be insulated at the design/build time (double-walls, etc).
No need to move it anywhere.
5 years ago
In any case, having it done both ways I can say - the crush-and-strain way produces better honey.
Subjectively maybe.
But everyone should try it both ways and taste for themselves.
5 years ago

elle sagenev wrote:Peoples, that took FOREVER and the pay off, I don't know. We probably have 1-2 gallons of honey from what is going on 3 days of work now. Of course, it's not 3 days of constant work it's a lot of waiting for things to filter and drip down.

I borrowed a 2 frame honey spinner. I think I had 10 frames that were spinnable. I had some frames that I didn't use plastic foundation with and the bees didn't go straight down and I couldn't spin the honey from them. So, I removed the comb from them, put them in cheesecloth and squished them up so the honey would drip down into a bucket.

Anyway, just took a lot of time and effort and I'm not sure it was worth it.

So I must be doing it wrong or something stupid because it just was terrible!



:)
That is why you don't extract with 2-frame honey spinner.
If you have any significant volumes, should have 4-frame and up equipment.

Whatever you do (spin or crash), it is best to work with warm honey.
Before spinning you want to keep your frames in a warm place some hours (a car on a sunny day works great).
If crashing and straining, you want to crash cold frames (the brittle combs crash better) but then you want to strain in a warm place (again, a hot car works great).
If the frames are partially crystallized (read - from last year) - especially important to warm them up however you do it.

To be fair, I myself made a drill powered 2-frame spinner also (also can be used for crash-and-strain).
Attached pics.
The cost was minimal (free buckets).
Works OK for a hobbyist (again, should extract warm honey).

After comparing the spinned honey and crash-and-strained honey - I chose the good, old crash-and-strained honey - still the best.


5 years ago

Nick Turner wrote:.... he is a little too technical for my taste....



Pretty much too technical.
These technicalities only confuse people and scare them away.

Once I figured the process out using the whole-grain rye flour, I never, ever measure anything again.
The starter was done by eye for centuries - no scales or measurement spoons.

The whole-grain rye starter just works by eye - no fuss, no complications, no non-sense.
This is really that trivial - the whole-grain rye flour does it all.

I have been using hodgson's rye flour for my starter - https://www.hodgsonmill.com/products/rye-flour

6 years ago

Dell Knapp wrote: I am still a baker for the market in Madison, Wi & wanted to share this, hoping it gives you more tasty options !



Hi, the neighbor!

Eat bread!
The real bread, I mean.

https://qz.com/quartzy/1487485/the-scientific-case-for-eating-bread/
https://www.sourdough.co.uk/category/sourdough/sourdough-nutrition-digestibility/
6 years ago
2-3 years ago I found this article about rye starter:

https://www.weekendbakery.com/posts/rye-sourdough-starter-in-easy-steps/

I tried it - it worked.
This is how I started making my own breads.
Never looked back - home made breads are cheap, tasty, simple, and healthy.

Eventually, I stopped following any of the instructions - does not matter.
No need to throw any starter away either; I use everything.

The basic rye starter just works with ONE simple instruction - keep it at the "thick paste consistency".
The thick paste consistency is the only idea I follow now days.
When not in use - keeping the starter in the fridge for few days.

Couple of good bread links that I use as my baselines:

Russian Rye sourdough (and more!) - https://www.beetsandbones.com/

Jim Lahey basic 4-ingridient bread (modify as wish OR not) - https://www.browneyedbaker.com/no-knead-bread/






6 years ago

Gabriel Lavinsky wrote:Considering all this info, i would really like to understand if some uses of reused tire are really interesting, such as using it for leveling the ground, burying it for ecological sanitary uses or for building house walls with it.  



Used tires make really good beehive stands (when positioned flat).
They are really strong and indestructible, relatively light, easy to move around, and they are capable of holding large weight (especially when the metal rim is inside).
The best part - no construction is needed.
Just toss is down and level - done.
Optionally, place some wood onto the tire before setting a hive.
Or set 2-3 tires side by side, place long boards on top of them and then set your hives.
If care, you can even paint those tire hive stands; up to you.

Every time I see a used tire, I collect it and use in my bee yards.
I need MORE used tires!
7 years ago