Greg Carey
Not many of the beekeepers in our area collect and process propolis. I suspect this is so of beekeepers as a whole. Some have even developed genetic lines that reduce the collection of that sticky mess that makes frame inspections a little difficult. A few have noticed that propolis is good for the health of the hive and serves a definite purpose which is why the bees collect it. These folks rough up the inside surface of their hives to encourage propolis collection. This discussion will be about the process of processing propolis and leaves all those other issues for another time.
I learned of propolis and its processing from, beekeeper and founding member of the Association of Southern Maryland Beekeepers (ASMB), the late Jerry Worrell. Jerry insisted that properly processed propolis be free and clear of all foreign debris and wax. To be clear what we are talking about are hive scrapings, pure and simple. I know there are propolis traps on the market which provide a fairly clean initial product but can end up with bee parts, small hive beetles, etc. in the mix. I segregate my scrapings upon collection into two groups, clean and not clean. I do this because life is too short for me to spend it trying to pick an insect part or paint chip out of resin. I use the second group for filling those cracks and crevices that you hear folks talk about pests laying their eggs in where the bees can’t police them up. I use the clean propolis for processing for personal use, fair entries and sometimes for market. Again, we’re on about the processing, not those other issues.
Let’s get on with it. All three of our local fairs require a minimum of two ounces of propolis for an entry. I recently processed a batch specifically for this purpose. The photos here are of that process.
I start by collecting at least five ounces of clean propolis because mine usually renders out about one-to-one wax to propolis. I then make sure I have a clean Pyrex bowl. A Pyrex measuring cup has a handle which would be handy, pun intended, but I have a bowl. I use a heat gun that I have marked the dial for the proper setting to heat and melt the propolis. Please don’t ask the temperature. I never measured it. I just set it for a slow melt and no smoke. Insert all the warnings you have heard here about never turning your back on beeswax that is being heated. Consider yourself warned.
I pour the wax from the first melting and then knead the ball with my small wooden spatula. I keep doing this until no more wax will drip from the bowl after kneading. You may think that the propolis is now wax free. You would be wrong.
Next, I cover the ball with water and heat it again until there is wax floating on the hot water. I let this cool and lift the cool wax from the bowl. This step is repeated until I get tired/bored of fooling with it.
Now, the final step is to pour the water off and warm the propolis until it is moisture free and very soft. Once it is dry, I pour/scrape it onto a plastic sheet and roll it flat. The propolis should be jet black without any sign of wax on the surface. It is now ready for use, or, in this case, entry into the fair for exhibition and judging.
I was not completely satisfied with this entry, you probably noticed the slight brown appearance in the photos, but the judge thought it was worthy of the blue ribbon. I always agree with the judge. There are two more fairs to go. We’ll soon see if the judges agree with each other.
Here is something you can use even if you do not plan to process propolis for your use. When the kids ask “Why?” when you tell them to never put a propolis ball in their pockets, show them this photo (bottom photo on the right). It may feel solid in your hand when it is cool but add just a little body heat for a few minutes and you will end up with a coin stack that can’t be knocked apart and a waterproof pocket. Don’t ask how I know this.
Let’s get back to the title for a moment before departing. There is no hard work in the processing of propolis. It can be done without breaking a sweat. However, all the heating, cooling and kneading of the propolis ball is tedious and time consuming. I am sure you picked up on the word “bored”. This is the way I do it. If you know a quicker, less tedious, “easier” method, I will listen.
Beekeeping, it’s more than bugs in a box.
