Pull the honey supers from the apiary. Using your chosen method, remove bees from the frames. Move the honey supers to a protected area where the honey can be extracted. It's best not to extract honey outside, as the bees will protect their honey if they discover your work area.

Prepare the uncapping container. Use a container that is large enough to stand a frame of honey in and work with it. A rack or strainer in the bottom will allow you to place the end of the frame on a solid surface and not set it directly in any honey in the container. We use a large mixing bowl with a strainer.

Stand the frame of the honeycomb on end inside of your uncapping container. Using either an uncapping roller or hot knife, uncap the capped honey. If using an uncapping roller, be sure to uncap every cell of the honeycomb.

Place the prepared frame inside the extractor.

Once the extractor is full, close the lid and spin the honey frames until the honey is fully removed from the honeycomb. 5 to 15 minutes is sufficient. If using a tangential extractor, turn the frames around and extract the honey from the other side.

Place a food-safe bucket under the honey gate to drain honey. We have specially designed strainers that fit a 5-gallon bucket. These strain debris from the honey. Be mindful of the honey level at the bottom of the extractor. If possible, leave the honey gate open and allow the honey to drain as you extract.

Once the honey is extracted, cover the honey and allow it to settle at least overnight to several days. Air bubbles trapped inside the honey will work their way to the top. The foam-like bubbles can be scraped off.

Thoroughly clean the extractor and the honey gate. Be mindful of trapped honey inside the honey gate.

Any containers, frames or tools that will not be damaged by the weather can be set outside in the apiary. The bees are very efficient at clean-up. Within just a few days the bees will remove any honey left on the equipment.

Bottling honey is most easily accomplished with a bottling bucket. Some beekeepers use heated bottlers that allow the honey to flow more freely. While these work at lower temperatures, I prefer not to heat my honey and destroy the qualities of raw honey.

Elevate the bottling bucket with a stool. This keeps any mess on the counter, rather than allowing it to drip all over the floor. I keep a tray under the bottling bucket to catch any drips.

Open the honey gate and fill each honey container. If you sell your honey, weigh each bottle and label it appropriately as required by your state.

Honey should be stored in a cool, dry place.