Fall vs. Spring Honey Harvest

I have heard that, while convention has beekeepers harvest honey in the fall; many "natural" beekeepers prefer to let the bees keep the honey all winter for insulation and food.

If I plan to harvest in the spring, what time of year is best? How do I know when it is time to harvest vs. I am robbing the hives of the energy they need for their important Spring work...

Thanks!

Emily

I harvest when there's a strong nectar flow on. that's generally May into July around here. decreases the odds of winter starvation and of triggering robbing by other colonies during harvest.