Bob, i was an auto shop owner and known for honesty in business. Biblical ethics in business are as precious as Sourwood Honey. Sometimes, it raises our cost of business but ultimately insures our success and leaves us with a clear conscience which is priceless.
Bob thanks sharing this video. I live in Western North Carolina, Buncombe County to be exact and well aware of the farmers market honey. You for sure can’t go by what the label says and expect to get sourwood honey in most cases. You absolutely hit the nail on the head in this video. I really do appreciate your ethics and honesty.
@@bobbinnie9872 (here is our formal position from the Westminster Confession of faith 1640) As it is the law of nature, that, in general, a due proportion of time be set apart for the worship of God; so, in his Word, by a positive, moral, and perpetual commandment binding all men in all ages, he hath particularly appointed one day in seven, for a Sabbath, to be kept holy unto him: which, from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, was the last day of the week; and, from the resurrection of Christ, was changed into the first day of the week, which, in Scripture, is called the Lord’s day, and is to be continued to the end of the world, as the Christian Sabbath. 8. This Sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord, when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering of their common affairs beforehand, do not only observe an holy rest, all the day, from their own works, words, and thoughts about their worldly employments and recreations, but also are taken up, the whole time, in the public and private exercises of his worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy.
My wife and I and our friends drove down from Michigan to Lakemont Georgia to the Blue Ridge Honey Company just to purchase sourwood honey. Of course we purchased several types of honey, but our favorite was sourwood. Well worth the drive. What a wonderful visit, truly amazing southern hospitality. I would highly recommend visiting Blue Ridge Honey Company and checking out your favorite type of honey.
After eating sourwood honey as a young man, no other honey was worth eating. The honey has a flavor that you cannot forget. I have paid high prices for honey that was labeled sourwood only to be disappointed. Now I taste before buying, my tastebuds do not lie! I am headed to Towns County this weekend to check out some sourwood honey to purchase.
I always give my neighbor a quart of honey from my first summer harvest. It's a great tasting, flowery honey. Light color. Anyway, last year he brought me about 16 oz of sourwood honey from his friend that lives around Gatlingburg. I must say it was about the best honey I've ever tasted. I hope he gets more this year.
Thanks Bob, I'm in central TX and a continued customer of yours. 1 is the honesty of your business and all the other reasons are to many to list.I LOVE YOUR SOURWOOD HONEY. I also raise bees and have adopted many of your methods with a slight Texas twist(to meet my area/climate differences) which you also said was crucial to do. This year's harvest is larger for me than ever and will hopefully finish within the next week, being a 1 man show it can get rough. Thanks for all you do.
I gave my wife your information and asked her to buy a couple of jars each of Sourwood, Basswood, Tulip Popular. She ask me why those honys and I smarted off and said if the SourWood is as good as Bob says we are going to move to GA. I have been trying to convince her I was joking. Hope I can get her to order it soon.
Ha Bob very sorry about the honey production. U are a honest man everyone should buy your honey and support you they know they can trust you I wish u the best. A person being honest u just donot find that much anymore. You have my respect. God Bless you and your family and your business. Have a Blessed week
Addressing your comment “I wish we could do something about that.” We can! I can’t agree with legislating someone else’s life like we often do these days. Instead I advocate for educating our friends and family and tell them the importance of knowing where your food comes from and what’s in it and how important it is to know your farmer. You mentioning it and people sharing this video will help tremendously. You could even set a trend 😂 #sourwood #honey
I have been pulling sourwood in the WNC mountains for the last 13-14 years and selling it locally and online. You are right about folks saying its the best they've ever tasted and to keep offering them the same "taste" with a color variation is something we struggle with every year. Some folks will tell you at the farmers market that sourwood should be dark...which as you say it can have color but really shouldn't be dark. Anyway I find that if I can get people to try it then its a done deal. I love your videos and how honest you are with yourself and the public.....you inspire alot of us small scale beekeepers! Thanks!
I kept waiting for you to say to those that say they don't like sourwood honey, "have you ever tasted it?" LOL. Thank you for standing firm with integrity and morals, we have too many in this world that will try anything possible to make a sale. I have always found it successful to excede the customers expectations while giving them a real product. I'd rather make a few dollars less to get a repeat customer than to cheat someone out of a genuine product.
I saw an old Andy Griffith show last week where Charlene Darling told Andy he was "sweeter than Sourwood honey" My favorite is Mountain Laurel which has the same taste profile as Texas wildflower......lol....just kidding!, no disrespect to our Texas bee keepers. As Mr. Bob put it, everyone has their own paticulae taste.
I'm in the south eastern Ohio foothills which is the northern most region of the sourwood tree. It's important to understand micro climates as a beekeeper, it plays a major role in where you have your bees, especially in the hills and mountains. Just because you see flowers does not mean they have nectar, this is a common misconception I see new beekeepers struggle with over and over. Microclimates can alter a plants flowering stage by weeks and you need only move a few miles to see the difference.
Like all blooms it's hit or miss. Some years we get black locust and other years we don't. Two years ago we got tulip poplar in our honey, the first time in several years. Our honey is usually a light yellow. There is no way for us to specify or work to harvest one specific honey where I am because we have so much going at one time and then stopping. I do see beekeepers in my area try to label their spring honey as apple blossom which is false. We have way too much going on to be able to do that. My mentor was a pollinator. He said that in years past he did pull a super or two of maple. It was only thing that actually bloomed in this area by itself
1 Pound bottles of Wildflower honey where I live starts at about $17 a pound, The more expensive honeys, Avocado, Eucalyptus or Oak Honey or Sage Honey can go for up to $30 a pound
Thanks again for the great information, Bob! I learn something new every time I watch one of your videos. Over in Hiawassee I am seeing the same delay in sourwood that you are seeing as well. I didn't realize just how fortunate we are as to the placement of my yards over here until you mentioned the elevation criteria. It helped explain why we have gotten sourwood when others haven't in previous years. And it explains why seeing sourwood blooming all the way down south of Baldwin, GA on HWY 441 but they don't get any sourwood. Thanks again!
Bob, besides starting out in beekeeping by purchasing 4 packages from you I have purchased honey from you. I have purchased some of your honey. I have a doctor here in VA that produces sourwood honey where you can watch the bees fly from their hives right up into the sourwood trees and back to their hives. His sourwood honey has the smell of your sourwood but not the robust taste of your sourwood honey. His hives are at 1200+ feet elevation and 30 miles east of the blue ridge parkway. But I still love your Orange Blossom honey. Purchase it every year to have with my morning toast and coffee. Look forward to seeing you at Laurel and Kamon's Bee Conference whenever, and wherever they have it. SML BEE's / SWVA
Another great post Bob! Thinks so much for the explanations concerning Sourwood. Many years ago late summer my wife and I picked up some at the Ashville Farmers Market mentioned in your video. Paid $20 dollars for a beautiful white pint - around 2X other honeys that were there. Got back home to TN an hour+ away and first thing I did even before putting the garage door down was to grab a spoon to taste. I immediately could taste the "metal cans" it was stored in via the fillings in my teeth - aka creates a galvanic circuit. I grabbed a shallow cut comb pan and poured it out as a very expensive for my bees. You now convinced me to give it another try - but not from there!
A friend sent me a sourwood blend from North Carolina and compared it to the store bought and it was night and day. Sourwood was so much better! This sparked my interest in beekeeping. I live in Minnesota so my bees won’t produce it.
I really like that you are an honest man and won't sell something that is not up to your standards. The world would be a better place if more were like you in their integrity and values!
Well darn, Sunday morning coffee, some sweet knowledge, and no sourwood honey on the table. Guess I will have to order some. Good insight into what it takes to make a speciality honey.
Thanks Bob for this video and your integrity. I sell all of my honey as wildflower because I don’t want to misrepresent it. Sometimes I may say it’s got a lot of blackberry or it’s got a lot of privet in it. Well this year mine has a lot of Tulip Popular and it’s the darkest that I’ve ever produced but I will call it wildflower. I’ve purchased sourwood and tupelo from your store and those along with SOME wildflower are my favorite. Sometimes a certain mix of wildflower is hard to beat.
Thank you for the insight bob! I'm hoping to start doing A LOT of this flavoured honey in my area. this has proven invaluable to me, I wont be doing sourwood, but the applications are the same.
Bob, funny that I am in the midlands of SC and have sour wood about 3 miles passed my farm. We do live near a creek and near the river. Old land with lots growing. I am 2 hours from upstate.
Since it can be laboratory tested, perhaps someone should gather sourwood from several producers and do an investigative report. Ill bet that would be a popular segment.
In the long run and in many ways it doesn't matter our opinions on honeys.🤔If you sell honey, it matters what the customer thinks and is willing to pay for the product.🤨To many times in business, owners forget the "Golden Rules" of business. 😁Ty Bob you are a wealth of Wisdom. Do you like the Sourwood honey better the NW Blackberry, Bob? I hear our Blackberry honey tastes different/better then anyplace else in the country.
Hey Mr Binnie, I checked my sourwood hives today and they where 3 full supers on each hive and stating to get honey bound so I will be adding another super this week and we are just at the peak of where we are we are at around 2200 feet. We are in western NC.
Bob, i heard that his pollen data and collections went to UC Davis. Maybe we need to all band together and rally Davis (Nino?) to continue on with his Mellisopalynology efforts. I've been searching the world for a resource like Bryants lab. Thank you for taking the time to highlight the differences and explain your experiences and perspective.
I purchased some from you, Bob and I just I don’t have a taste for it. I guess I’m like your wife probably my first choice is Basswood and then Tulip Poplar for sure
@bobbinnie Great post Bob! I live in central va so sourwood is not a possibility for my apiary and I haul them around. In general, the beekeeping community is a family, but just like sourcing good bees/queens/nucs. Not everything is created equal, and it is a shame we have people taking advantage of the general public who know even less than most beekeepers on how to source from guys like you who do things the right way.
Excellent explanation on why you spend the time and resources to get sourwood honey and correctly label it as such. My favorite honey is Tupelo. I am from St. Paul and I produce a few gallons in my backyard. Okay, I am kidding. I am no taste expert. I tell people my honey is spring, summer and fall. They are different in color.
We love Tupelo too. It has the same issues as Sourwood because it commands a higher price. Now if you could just figure out how to produce it in St. Paul. 😉
This has been a crazy year. All of our spring flow bloomed early and then frost killed it back. I picked the wrong year to expand but that’s ok. Keeping the sugar producers in business. 😂😂😂. We are feeding every week to get these splits built up.
I had a yard this year in Nova Pennsylvania I put new frames in a few hive and they drew out new wax and the honey turned out very clear, 14% moisture and had an after taste of Marshmallow. I separated as many of the frames as I could and ended up with about 3 1/2 gallons. Saving it for close friends that I know like honey. One I sold a gallon too and she is making creamed honey from it. I need to walk around the area and see what could have been blooming and be ready next year.
I always was told Tilia honey was the best (Basswood) but now I know there are a lot of other honey out there that are better. The rain here in NH ruined all our Lindens and really shortened the season. With all the rain we do have a lot of plants blooming. It’s going to be a very trying year. If I can’t order sourwood online I’ll have to visit and get some for myself. Good luck with your harvest.
I had some basswood up north(western NY) this week and did not like the taste. I live near dale hollow lake first year in the honey flow.... amazing honey with tulip poplar, blackberry blossom, and sumack...very amber colored and delicious. The basswood i had was a lighter yellow and had a woody mint taste to it....
It all has to do with taste preferences. Yesterday someone told me that Basswood honey was bad. Goldenrod honey is notoriously stinky and cheesy. A lot of people don't like it but occasionally I'll get asked if I have golden rod, or some other monoculture, honey.
I'm also new to many flavors. Maybe I was tasting the wrong thing. Tasted like it'd be good in a tea. I need like a kit of all kinds of honey to taste so I know what I'm tasting lol
Great video Bob! Always appreciate what you have to say. I'm in Birmingham, AL so where is a good place for small timers to send our honey to get it tested for specific nectar sources? Thanks! Look forward to seeing you at the Alabama Conference in September.
I raise bees in Texas and although the wildflower honey is good It does not hold a candle to sourwood. Everytime we are in georgia visiting family I try and buy some of yours to take back.
Don't let the guy from Texas bother you. I think you defended your product very well. Years ago I visited my sister in north carolina and bought a small jar of sourwood. I thought it was OK. I think it was a mix of honeys and they had sourwood in it. Where I am I will usually get a very light yellow wild flower that friends up state Pa. absolutely love. They won't buy it at the store, but wait for me to come up to get that specific honey. I'll check with my sister who now lives in Tennessee to see if she can get me a good jar of sourwood. It all depends on one's taste. I prefer buckwheat honey myself which most people don't like. I look at honey's as different types of bread. White bread has a mild flavor. Toasted bread is more like poplar or goldenrod. Burnt toast is more like buckwheat Hoping your harvest picks up.
I'm at 1300ft elevation in the Ozark mountains... I was going to see if I could get sourwood just to fill in some bloom gaps in late July but now I think the Sumac is filling in the gap just fine.
Im from Texas and i will assure you Bobs Sourwood honey is the best on the planet. I buy it every year.. I have over 100 colonies and make plenty of Texas wildflower honey....but one thing for sure with 100% certainty.... it is NOT sourwood honey. The fact that it cost more should be a clue. SOURWOOD HONEY....the best.
Bob, always good to watch your videos. How would you describe the taste smell texture (mouth feel) and aroma of sourwood, using as many adjectives as you can to describe it?
@@bobbinnie9872 okay, what is the difference between fresh and the older sourwood? I watch your vids and everyone wows over the taste and that s alone makes me want to try it. What are your thoughts of the flow hive?
All honey deteriorates with time unless it's frozen. Some more than others. The warmer it is the more dramatic the change in flavor, color and aroma and Sourwood changes more than many others. I don't have any personal experience with flow hives but listening to others makes me think it's probably OK for people that want to be hands off beekeepers but for best production probably not so good. @@timothymitchell8310
@@bobbinnie9872 frozen honey that’s interesting. Thank you Bob and that T-shirt of king Bob. If I were at a conference with you I would want you to autograph it and I would have a picture of us printed on the back. Do you also make your own creamed honey?
@@bobbinnie9872 oh, I forgot to say that when I talk flow hive I really only meant flow supers because it’s should only be used during a honey flow. I love your work and what you present.
Hey Bob-thank you for all the great videos! I’m grateful to have a source of beekeeping advise from someone with so much experience. Question for you-I have frames of capped honey from dead outs that smells a bit fermented. Not sure what I can do with it other than maybe spin it out and reuse the comb? Any suggestions?
If it isn't really bad you can freeze it and it won't progress until you give it to the bees later. Like humans, bees can metabolize small amounts of alcohol. If it's notably bad I would spin it out like you suggested.
Got into grafting chestnut.. no reason you couldn't graft sourwood on to different trees .. I'm considering grafting some tulip poplar we don't have much around.. grafted trees flower right away... I have one tree it's Chinese chestnut root stock with cherry tree on top .. it grew cherries wondered why it bloomed in April... I think sourwood grows on you.. first time I tasted It thought what's the big deal.. by the time it was gone it was amazing on ice cream perfect for our local butter pecan local dairy framer makes ... they have store people line up down the Rd for that Ice cream they do better than the weed store true story... Like to go up in the north woods and target wild organic blue berry... Plan on setting up some secluded mating yards up along lk Superior... Not much for bee keepers up there... Upper Michigan is mostly public land 11.4 million acers... There's a farm belt on the east end.. definitely be organic where I'm going
Occasionally someone will plant buckwheat in our area The beekeepers move their yards as it doesnt take much of its nectar to change the taste of everything its mixed with. Bob i found a linden tree in Nipawin Man do they have a huge # of beautiful flowers . I know of 2 in the area its too bad everone doesnt plant one in their yard for a showpiece . I need to move my yard next year i think the dragonflies and tree swallows are over half of the queens during mating . At least they are being blamed
I usually have very light black locust honey that everyone who tried it says it is the best they have ever tasted… but they are likely comparing it to store bought honey which isn’t saying much 🤣 The locust and maple trees barely had any blooms this year in my immediate area of Southern Indiana (20 miles up river from Louisville) and the honey is noticeably darker and has a stronger flavor. I’m assuming it’s tulip poplar as they are also very numerous in my woods. Do you have a sample box of various local honeys for sale? I would like to develop a better taste for the differences. Thanks as always for sharing your knowledge and experience. Your videos have been invaluable to me
Thanks. Call our store and ask about our 2 oz. favor jars. I'm sure what we have in that size but the retail girls know and will help you. 706 782 6722
We have some very unique and good authentic honeys in our store including some Sourwood from last year which isn't as good as it would be if it was fresh. If you call our store at 706 782 6722 the retail girls can go over all the possibilities with you.@@zExploit
Good morning Bob, I'm in Northern KY. We tried rasing sour wood trees From Hanging Dog North Carolina. All of them died. Do you know of a good nursery that might have a supply of them? My wife and I visited your store last fall . Hope we can come again this year. God bless Enjoyed the video! Love your Sour wood Honey 🍯
Well I have to disagree on this Bob. I usually use the common sense of things or the logic. How a mono flower honey can be better than multi flowers honey? (Cocktail of nectars). After I come to US many people tell me that Manuka has a higher content…. You find that Sourwood honey is better while you’re wife has other preferences. For me personally the best honey is the honey made here in DFW area. WHY? The variety of wildflowers is the key.(cocktail of nectars). I truly believe that the mono flower cannot be better than poly or multi flowers HONEY. Testing the honey from 2 different hives I noticed that the honey has the same color but different flavors. Amazing. I love 2 test sourwood honey in some days. Blessings.
Bob, I live in Alabama and we have a lot of Sourwood around me at 500’ to 700’ elevation. Will I be able to make Sourwood honey? I am a new beekeeper this year and I have learned a great deal from your videos. Thank you.
I have heard of black locust honey but have never tried it. I noticed this year the black locust in the pilot mountain area of NC were really blooming hard and wondered if the bees produced a lot of honey. Did you get a lot of black locust honey this year and if so how can I get some. My opinion is sourwood is the absolute best honey I've tasted and 3 years ago there was a huge bloom here in northwest nc and it was great honey very light in color and absolutely awesome. There's a state trooper that had a bunch of it and had it tested in the 90 percent range and it was great.
Hello Bob. Only beekeepers know how much work is required to obtain pure honey from a single crop of honey plants. Only polyflora honey is obtained a little easier. Often the flowering of the crops overlaps for 2-3 days and compromises all the honey. If consumers knew all the ins and outs of honey production, it would be easier to pay the right price. All the best.
A lot of interesting comments that you made. We live in Southern New Mexico and the craze for Green Chile nationwide seems to be Hatch Green Chile. The Hatch Valley is only so big. Yet all of the Chile farmers are jumping on the bandwagon and labeling their Chile as Hatch Chile. Farmers in the Hatch Valley have banded together to stop such labeling. Will they win, doubtful just like you and your mental battle with others claiming to make Sourwood Honey that is not Sourwood. Our honey we simple call wildflower honey because it comes from whatever wildflower our bees can find. No, we do not eat Hatch Green Chile either. We grow XXX Lumbre Green Chile!
I'm trying to find a reliable place now and may announce it when I figure it out. Texas A&M is where ours got tested in the past but the man who did it has passed away.
To be perfectly honest I like the honey we produce which is mainly clover honey the sourwood I bought from you I liked it but my 4yr old grandson liked it more he didn’t leave that much for me to get a good evaluation of it😂
I live in AZ, & really enjoy watching your video's! Would love to try some sourwood honey, & even some of your other varieties. Is the a phone number to call your store?
Hello Bob, I admire your ethics when it comes to your business; it’s a rare trait to see these days in my opinion. I’m very much looking forward to the 5 hour drive to visit your store this fall. Thanks again for another insightful video.
When folks pull up to by fresh peaches at a road side stand, they often ask for Elbertas. Elbertas are one of the three originals. They are ready around the 4th of July. So if they sell you those Elbertas any other time, it is a lie. Some people will lie through their teeth to make a sell
Bob, do you have a variety pack of honey varietals in your store which include sourwood, black locust, tulip poplar, etc? And do you ship to MN? I would really like to try some of these, and unfortunately, I don't ever get down your way.
We do have small 2 oz jars with some of our flavors but not all. The best way to order would be to call our store at 706 782 6722 and ask about which ones we have and they can ship it.
Your sure making me worry about my "Sourwood?" honey this year. Many of my supers were put on July 1 or even June 25. For those who don't know I'm in the range of Bob's Sourwood yards. Otto, NC south of Franklin, NC
Thanks for sharing I know you are speaking the truth about how people label honey and it’s not what they say I bought some honey from a roadside place and it was really good so I came back about a week later and bought some more and it was in the same bottle and label but tasted different it wasn’t as good it wasn’t horrible but I could taste something different I’m no expert I have very little knowledge about bees so nobody think I’m a expert lol
I think I've found 5 sourwood trees here on 35 acreas in taft,tn. If you have a close up of blooms would be great. I'm going up in bucket truck today to get a picture of bloom on a low tree to try and verify before there gone. I believe the carolina buckthorn i found plenty of in may covered with bees this year is probably better than my buckwheat. Who do i send to to verify whats in it? Thanks so much for all yalls help.
You may like our video "The Sourwood Trees are Blooming in The Blue Ridge Mountains" ruclips.net/video/puBmwJ69nWY/видео.html. My honey was tested in the past at Texas A&M but the man doing it has passed away and I'm currently looking for another place.
Is the company in Tennessee selling fake sourwood called “stranges honey farm”? A local store has it and it’s very dark and cheap, I haven’t tried it but I haven’t had sourwood before to compare it to.
Hey Bob. I havent heard of the "world championship" contest for honey production. is it staged in different countries each year? It would be interesting to see how your honey stacks up against some of our honeys in Australia (not Austria, that's in Europe). we have a lot of honey varieties here given the vast amount of tree species. there is even one on my property that doesnt grow anywhere else in the world. perhaps you might enjjoy a visit here some time. oh by the way, we are getting varoa mite here now. our government thinks they can stop it. put that on the list with rabbits, foxes, numerous noxious weeds and the list goes on and on. I enjoy your tutoring on mite control. I hope to be ready when the time comes.
The competition mentioned is with Apimondia, also known as the International Federation of Beekeepers' Associations. Its conventions are held in a different country each time and in 2023 it will be in Santiago, Chile. I would love to visit Australia in the future and it's on my wish list. Good luck with the mites.
The same thing here in Scotland with heather honey. A premium product requiring great effort but as there's no independent testing programme I also know of people being downright dishonest with their labelling. I suppose that type of amoral character will always be with us, sadly.
I have ten sourwood trees here on the Olympic Peninsula for my hives and am curious if it affects(and to what degree) the flavor of my honey. The honey is very light.
Животные
Bob, i was an auto shop owner and known for honesty in business. Biblical ethics in business are as precious as Sourwood Honey. Sometimes, it raises our cost of business but ultimately insures our success and leaves us with a clear conscience which is priceless.
I couldn't have said it better. Thank you.
It’s all about integrity! A man is only as good as his word and actions!
Bob thanks sharing this video. I live in Western North Carolina, Buncombe County to be exact and well aware of the farmers market honey. You for sure can’t go by what the label says and expect to get sourwood honey in most cases. You absolutely hit the nail on the head in this video.
I really do appreciate your ethics and honesty.
@@bobbinnie9872
(here is our formal position from the Westminster Confession of faith 1640)
As it is the law of nature, that, in general, a due proportion of time be set apart for the worship of God; so, in his Word, by a positive, moral, and perpetual commandment binding all men in all ages, he hath particularly appointed one day in seven, for a Sabbath, to be kept holy unto him: which, from the beginning of the world to the resurrection of Christ, was the last day of the week; and, from the resurrection of Christ, was changed into the first day of the week, which, in Scripture, is called the Lord’s day, and is to be continued to the end of the world, as the Christian Sabbath.
8. This Sabbath is then kept holy unto the Lord, when men, after a due preparing of their hearts, and ordering of their common affairs beforehand, do not only observe an holy rest, all the day, from their own works, words, and thoughts about their worldly employments and recreations, but also are taken up, the whole time, in the public and private exercises of his worship, and in the duties of necessity and mercy.
And how many sourwood trees do you need for your bees to produce sourwood honey ?
My wife and I and our friends drove down from Michigan to Lakemont Georgia to the Blue Ridge Honey Company just to purchase sourwood honey. Of course we purchased several types of honey, but our favorite was sourwood. Well worth the drive. What a wonderful visit, truly amazing southern hospitality. I would highly recommend visiting Blue Ridge Honey Company and checking out your favorite type of honey.
That’s Bobs store for all that didn’t know
So calm. Thanks for sharing
After eating sourwood honey as a young man, no other honey was worth eating. The honey has a flavor that you cannot forget. I have paid high prices for honey that was labeled sourwood only to be disappointed. Now I taste before buying, my tastebuds do not lie! I am headed to Towns County this weekend to check out some sourwood honey to purchase.
Funny how it looks the same and tastes the same. 😂 Well said, Bob! Hope all is well.
I always give my neighbor a quart of honey from my first summer harvest. It's a great tasting, flowery honey. Light color. Anyway, last year he brought me about 16 oz of sourwood honey from his friend that lives around Gatlingburg. I must say it was about the best honey I've ever tasted. I hope he gets more this year.
Thanks Bob, I'm in central TX and a continued customer of yours. 1 is the honesty of your business and all the other reasons are to many to list.I LOVE YOUR SOURWOOD HONEY. I also raise bees and have adopted many of your methods with a slight Texas twist(to meet my area/climate differences) which you also said was crucial to do. This year's harvest is larger for me than ever and will hopefully finish within the next week, being a 1 man show it can get rough. Thanks for all you do.
I gave my wife your information and asked her to buy a couple of jars each of Sourwood, Basswood, Tulip Popular. She ask me why those honys and I smarted off and said if the SourWood is as good as Bob says we are going to move to GA. I have been trying to convince her I was joking. Hope I can get her to order it soon.
I envy your ability to distinguish between different honeys. Imagine that’s the product of years of keeping bees.
Thanks but I'm limited to honeys we deal with on a regular basis.
I admire your commitment to honesty and quality. Thanks for setting a high standard for us to strive to achieve.
Thanks for sharing interesting content Bob👍
Ha Bob very sorry about the honey production. U are a honest man everyone should buy your honey and support you they know they can trust you I wish u the best. A person being honest u just donot find that much anymore. You have my respect. God Bless you and your family and your business. Have a Blessed week
Addressing your comment “I wish we could do something about that.” We can! I can’t agree with legislating someone else’s life like we often do these days. Instead I advocate for educating our friends and family and tell them the importance of knowing where your food comes from and what’s in it and how important it is to know your farmer. You mentioning it and people sharing this video will help tremendously. You could even set a trend 😂 #sourwood #honey
I have been pulling sourwood in the WNC mountains for the last 13-14 years and selling it locally and online. You are right about folks saying its the best they've ever tasted and to keep offering them the same "taste" with a color variation is something we struggle with every year. Some folks will tell you at the farmers market that sourwood should be dark...which as you say it can have color but really shouldn't be dark. Anyway I find that if I can get people to try it then its a done deal. I love your videos and how honest you are with yourself and the public.....you inspire alot of us small scale beekeepers! Thanks!
Just put an order in from Atlanta Ga after watching this video Thank you ! James
I kept waiting for you to say to those that say they don't like sourwood honey, "have you ever tasted it?" LOL. Thank you for standing firm with integrity and morals, we have too many in this world that will try anything possible to make a sale. I have always found it successful to excede the customers expectations while giving them a real product. I'd rather make a few dollars less to get a repeat customer than to cheat someone out of a genuine product.
Thanks for great information Bob! Wish you all the best!
Great video again Bob. Thanks for your hard work on all fronts. We do appreciate it!
I saw an old Andy Griffith show last week where Charlene Darling told Andy he was "sweeter than Sourwood honey"
My favorite is Mountain Laurel which has the same taste profile as Texas wildflower......lol....just kidding!, no disrespect to our Texas bee keepers.
As Mr. Bob put it, everyone has their own paticulae taste.
Two thumbs up! I love learning everything you have to teach. Thanks for another great video!
great explanation -thank u
Quality usually speaks for itself. Thanks Bob.
This whole Bee season has been weird.
Honesty is the absolute best policy. It always pays off.
Thanks Bob.
Thanks Bob!
Interesting info…👍
I'm in the south eastern Ohio foothills which is the northern most region of the sourwood tree. It's important to understand micro climates as a beekeeper, it plays a major role in where you have your bees, especially in the hills and mountains. Just because you see flowers does not mean they have nectar, this is a common misconception I see new beekeepers struggle with over and over. Microclimates can alter a plants flowering stage by weeks and you need only move a few miles to see the difference.
Sourwood in S.E. Ohio is running 2 weeks behind this year as well
Well said.
@@hockinghillshoneyfarm9273 I'm in Vinton, the sourwood is on like crazy here, bees are all over it.
@@Tonnsfabrication Same here I'm in S.E. Fairfield
Like all blooms it's hit or miss. Some years we get black locust and other years we don't. Two years ago we got tulip poplar in our honey, the first time in several years. Our honey is usually a light yellow. There is no way for us to specify or work to harvest one specific honey where I am because we have so much going at one time and then stopping.
I do see beekeepers in my area try to label their spring honey as apple blossom which is false. We have way too much going on to be able to do that.
My mentor was a pollinator. He said that in years past he did pull a super or two of maple. It was only thing that actually bloomed in this area by itself
Excellent content as usual
Haven't watched in a while...watching today made me realize how much I've learned from your channel..
Great information Bob
Thanks.
1 Pound bottles of Wildflower honey where I live starts at about $17 a pound, The more expensive honeys, Avocado, Eucalyptus or Oak Honey or Sage Honey can go for up to $30 a pound
Thanks again for the great information, Bob! I learn something new every time I watch one of your videos. Over in Hiawassee I am seeing the same delay in sourwood that you are seeing as well. I didn't realize just how fortunate we are as to the placement of my yards over here until you mentioned the elevation criteria. It helped explain why we have gotten sourwood when others haven't in previous years. And it explains why seeing sourwood blooming all the way down south of Baldwin, GA on HWY 441 but they don't get any sourwood. Thanks again!
Bob Is a wealth of knowledge, that's for sure
Your integrity and honesty are certainly appreciated in today’s world. I feel honored just to watch you videos! Also, great info on sourwood honey!
Bob, besides starting out in beekeeping by purchasing 4 packages from you I have purchased honey from you. I have purchased some of your honey. I have a doctor here in VA that produces sourwood honey where you can watch the bees fly from their hives right up into the sourwood trees and back to their hives. His sourwood honey has the smell of your sourwood but not the robust taste of your sourwood honey. His hives are at 1200+ feet elevation and 30 miles east of the blue ridge parkway. But I still love your Orange Blossom honey. Purchase it every year to have with my morning toast and coffee. Look forward to seeing you at Laurel and Kamon's Bee Conference whenever, and wherever they have it.
SML BEE's / SWVA
Another great post Bob! Thinks so much for the explanations concerning Sourwood. Many years ago late summer my wife and I picked up some at the Ashville Farmers Market mentioned in your video. Paid $20 dollars for a beautiful white pint - around 2X other honeys that were there. Got back home to TN an hour+ away and first thing I did even before putting the garage door down was to grab a spoon to taste. I immediately could taste the "metal cans" it was stored in via the fillings in my teeth - aka creates a galvanic circuit. I grabbed a shallow cut comb pan and poured it out as a very expensive for my bees. You now convinced me to give it another try - but not from there!
Morning Bob I agree I live in union my bees just started put in sourwood this week
A friend sent me a sourwood blend from North Carolina and compared it to the store bought and it was night and day. Sourwood was so much better! This sparked my interest in beekeeping. I live in Minnesota so my bees won’t produce it.
Appreciate your honesty. Have bought honey where all the seller was doing was changing the label.
I really like that you are an honest man and won't sell something that is not up to your standards. The world would be a better place if more were like you in their integrity and values!
Well darn, Sunday morning coffee, some sweet knowledge, and no sourwood honey on the table. Guess I will have to order some. Good insight into what it takes to make a speciality honey.
Thank you for the video. We visited your store to know what sourwood tasted like.
Thanks Bob for this video and your integrity. I sell all of my honey as wildflower because I don’t want to misrepresent it. Sometimes I may say it’s got a lot of blackberry or it’s got a lot of privet in it. Well this year mine has a lot of Tulip Popular and it’s the darkest that I’ve ever produced but I will call it wildflower.
I’ve purchased sourwood and tupelo from your store and those along with SOME wildflower are my favorite. Sometimes a certain mix of wildflower is hard to beat.
Thank you for the insight bob! I'm hoping to start doing A LOT of this flavoured honey in my area. this has proven invaluable to me, I wont be doing sourwood, but the applications are the same.
I drove up to North Georgia and got some, and it's definitely worth it. Im still enjoying it
Most people don’t have your integrity. Keep up doing the right thing.
Bob, funny that I am in the midlands of SC and have sour wood about 3 miles passed my farm. We do live near a creek and near the river. Old land with lots growing. I am 2 hours from upstate.
Since it can be laboratory tested, perhaps someone should gather sourwood from several producers and do an investigative report. Ill bet that would be a popular segment.
You may get into somebodies pocketbook and “testing” can not be subjective. There a lot of variables…
In the long run and in many ways it doesn't matter our opinions on honeys.🤔If you sell honey, it matters what the customer thinks and is willing to pay for the product.🤨To many times in business, owners forget the "Golden Rules" of business. 😁Ty Bob you are a wealth of Wisdom.
Do you like the Sourwood honey better the NW Blackberry, Bob? I hear our Blackberry honey tastes different/better then anyplace else in the country.
Hey Mr Binnie, I checked my sourwood hives today and they where 3 full supers on each hive and stating to get honey bound so I will be adding another super this week and we are just at the peak of where we are we are at around 2200 feet. We are in western NC.
Good Morning Bob !
Good morning sir.
Bob, i heard that his pollen data and collections went to UC Davis. Maybe we need to all band together and rally Davis (Nino?) to continue on with his Mellisopalynology efforts. I've been searching the world for a resource like Bryants lab. Thank you for taking the time to highlight the differences and explain your experiences and perspective.
I purchased some from you, Bob and I just I don’t have a taste for it. I guess I’m like your wife probably my first choice is Basswood and then Tulip Poplar for sure
@bobbinnie Great post Bob! I live in central va so sourwood is not a possibility for my apiary and I haul them around. In general, the beekeeping community is a family, but just like sourcing good bees/queens/nucs. Not everything is created equal, and it is a shame we have people taking advantage of the general public who know even less than most beekeepers on how to source from guys like you who do things the right way.
Excellent explanation on why you spend the time and resources to get sourwood honey and correctly label it as such.
My favorite honey is Tupelo. I am from St. Paul and I produce a few gallons in my backyard.
Okay, I am kidding.
I am no taste expert. I tell people my honey is spring, summer and fall. They are different in color.
We love Tupelo too. It has the same issues as Sourwood because it commands a higher price. Now if you could just figure out how to produce it in St. Paul. 😉
@@bobbinnie9872 Knowing how hard it is to harvest, I am sure a lot of what is labelled Tupelo is way less than 50% Tupelo.
This has been a crazy year. All of our spring flow bloomed early and then frost killed it back. I picked the wrong year to expand but that’s ok. Keeping the sugar producers in business. 😂😂😂. We are feeding every week to get these splits built up.
Very good reasons to buy your Sourwood honey from Blue 'Ridge Honey Company!
Never had it, I would like to try it though.
Our bees made some Linden/Basswood honey this year.
♥♥♥
I had a yard this year in Nova Pennsylvania I put new frames in a few hive and they drew out new wax and the honey turned out very clear, 14% moisture and had an after taste of Marshmallow. I separated as many of the frames as I could and ended up with about 3 1/2 gallons. Saving it for close friends that I know like honey. One I sold a gallon too and she is making creamed honey from it. I need to walk around the area and see what could have been blooming and be ready next year.
Meadow foam and cabbage blossom honey reminds me of marshmallow or taffy.
@@bobbinnie9872 I'll have to check that out. Never heard of so many different blooms. Fun stuff
I always was told Tilia honey was the best (Basswood) but now I know there are a lot of other honey out there that are better. The rain here in NH ruined all our Lindens and really shortened the season. With all the rain we do have a lot of plants blooming. It’s going to be a very trying year. If I can’t order sourwood online I’ll have to visit and get some for myself. Good luck with your harvest.
I had some basswood up north(western NY) this week and did not like the taste. I live near dale hollow lake first year in the honey flow.... amazing honey with tulip poplar, blackberry blossom, and sumack...very amber colored and delicious. The basswood i had was a lighter yellow and had a woody mint taste to it....
It all has to do with taste preferences. Yesterday someone told me that Basswood honey was bad. Goldenrod honey is notoriously stinky and cheesy. A lot of people don't like it but occasionally I'll get asked if I have golden rod, or some other monoculture, honey.
Thanks. We hope to have enough to sell online but don't know yet. I'm a basswood fan too.
I'm also new to many flavors. Maybe I was tasting the wrong thing. Tasted like it'd be good in a tea. I need like a kit of all kinds of honey to taste so I know what I'm tasting lol
Great video Bob! Always appreciate what you have to say.
I'm in Birmingham, AL so where is a good place for small timers to send our honey to get it tested for specific nectar sources? Thanks!
Look forward to seeing you at the Alabama Conference in September.
I'm not currently sure and am looking into it. The place I used to use is no longer doing it.
I raise bees in Texas and although the wildflower honey is good It does not hold a candle to sourwood. Everytime we are in georgia visiting family I try and buy some of yours to take back.
Don't let the guy from Texas bother you. I think you defended your product very well. Years ago I visited my sister in north carolina and bought a small jar of sourwood. I thought it was OK. I think it was a mix of honeys and they had sourwood in it.
Where I am I will usually get a very light yellow wild flower that friends up state Pa. absolutely love. They won't buy it at the store, but wait for me to come up to get that specific honey.
I'll check with my sister who now lives in Tennessee to see if she can get me a good jar of sourwood.
It all depends on one's taste. I prefer buckwheat honey myself which most people don't like.
I look at honey's as different types of bread. White bread has a mild flavor. Toasted bread is more like poplar or goldenrod. Burnt toast is more like buckwheat
Hoping your harvest picks up.
That deserves 1 whole chapter 16 "Sourwood" very interesting sounds like you don't have strict labelling laws in the USA.
Hi Peter. Enforcement is the problem and it is a problem. There's too many unscrupulous people in the world. Hopefully it's better over there.
Here in Franklin, NC. My bees seem to be working the invasive knotweed mixing in with the sourwood right now.
It's showing up more and more in our area.
I'm at 1300ft elevation in the Ozark mountains... I was going to see if I could get sourwood just to fill in some bloom gaps in late July but now I think the Sumac is filling in the gap just fine.
Im from Texas and i will assure you Bobs Sourwood honey is the best on the planet. I buy it every year.. I have over 100 colonies and make plenty of Texas wildflower honey....but one thing for sure with 100% certainty.... it is NOT sourwood honey. The fact that it cost more should be a clue. SOURWOOD HONEY....the best.
Bob, always good to watch your videos. How would you describe the taste smell texture (mouth feel) and aroma of sourwood, using as many adjectives as you can to describe it?
That's tough. I'm not good at describing the taste of honey. Others have described as nutty and buttery but I'm not sure that works for me.
@@bobbinnie9872 okay, what is the difference between fresh and the older sourwood? I watch your vids and everyone wows over the taste and that s alone makes me want to try it. What are your thoughts of the flow hive?
All honey deteriorates with time unless it's frozen. Some more than others. The warmer it is the more dramatic the change in flavor, color and aroma and Sourwood changes more than many others.
I don't have any personal experience with flow hives but listening to others makes me think it's probably OK for people that want to be hands off beekeepers but for best production probably not so good.
@@timothymitchell8310
@@bobbinnie9872 frozen honey that’s interesting. Thank you Bob and that T-shirt of king Bob. If I were at a conference with you I would want you to autograph it and I would have a picture of us printed on the back.
Do you also make your own creamed honey?
@@bobbinnie9872 oh, I forgot to say that when I talk flow hive I really only meant flow supers because it’s should only be used during a honey flow. I love your work and what you present.
Poison ivy has orange pollen I believe.
Hey Bob-thank you for all the great videos! I’m grateful to have a source of beekeeping advise from someone with so much experience. Question for you-I have frames of capped honey from dead outs that smells a bit fermented. Not sure what I can do with it other than maybe spin it out and reuse the comb? Any suggestions?
If it isn't really bad you can freeze it and it won't progress until you give it to the bees later. Like humans, bees can metabolize small amounts of alcohol. If it's notably bad I would spin it out like you suggested.
@@bobbinnie9872 thanks Bob! I’ll feed it back to them slowly and see how it goes.
Got into grafting chestnut.. no reason you couldn't graft sourwood on to different trees .. I'm considering grafting some tulip poplar we don't have much around.. grafted trees flower right away... I have one tree it's Chinese chestnut root stock with cherry tree on top .. it grew cherries wondered why it bloomed in April... I think sourwood grows on you.. first time I tasted It thought what's the big deal.. by the time it was gone it was amazing on ice cream perfect for our local butter pecan local dairy framer makes ... they have store people line up down the Rd for that Ice cream they do better than the weed store true story... Like to go up in the north woods and target wild organic blue berry... Plan on setting up some secluded mating yards up along lk Superior... Not much for bee keepers up there... Upper Michigan is mostly public land 11.4 million acers... There's a farm belt on the east end.. definitely be organic where I'm going
Hi Bob, As usual l love your videos. Where can honey be tested to determine its source and origin?
Texas A&M used to do it but the man doing it passed away. I'm currently looking for a good place to do it.
Occasionally someone will plant buckwheat in our area
The beekeepers move their yards as it doesnt take much of its nectar to change the taste of everything its mixed with.
Bob i found a linden tree in Nipawin
Man do they have a huge # of beautiful flowers .
I know of 2 in the area its too bad everone doesnt plant one in their yard for a showpiece .
I need to move my yard next year i think the dragonflies and tree swallows are over half of the queens during mating .
At least they are being blamed
I usually have very light black locust honey that everyone who tried it says it is the best they have ever tasted… but they are likely comparing it to store bought honey which isn’t saying much 🤣
The locust and maple trees barely had any blooms this year in my immediate area of Southern Indiana (20 miles up river from Louisville) and the honey is noticeably darker and has a stronger flavor. I’m assuming it’s tulip poplar as they are also very numerous in my woods. Do you have a sample box of various local honeys for sale? I would like to develop a better taste for the differences. Thanks as always for sharing your knowledge and experience. Your videos have been invaluable to me
Thanks. Call our store and ask about our 2 oz. favor jars. I'm sure what we have in that size but the retail girls know and will help you. 706 782 6722
I just ordered some from carolinahoneycompany Alpine, NC
Any advice where to buy some authentic sour wood honey, just in case
I don't know anyone that has some of this years crop available. There wasn't much made in our area.
@@bobbinnie9872 okay how about just some authentic honey in general, I really wanna be guided to the right source, thank you for your help.
We have some very unique and good authentic honeys in our store including some Sourwood from last year which isn't as good as it would be if it was fresh. If you call our store at 706 782 6722 the retail girls can go over all the possibilities with you.@@zExploit
Good morning Bob, I'm in Northern KY. We tried rasing sour wood trees
From Hanging Dog North Carolina.
All of them died.
Do you know of a good nursery that might have a supply of them?
My wife and I visited your store last fall . Hope we can come again this year.
God bless
Enjoyed the video! Love your Sour wood Honey 🍯
I don't know where to buy them but if you come in winter we can dig some up.
@@bobbinnie9872 THANK YOU !
Hi Bob! does your store ship it if I want to try a few bottles? I love to see how clean and neat your hive boxes and supers look.
Yes we ship. We're still filling orders with last years Sourwood though. Hope to have a new crop in a few weeks. Either way it's good honey.
i would love to try some sourwood honey
You can order it from our store at 706 782 6722.
Well I have to disagree on this Bob. I usually use the common sense of things or the logic. How a mono flower honey can be better than multi flowers honey? (Cocktail of nectars). After I come to US many people tell me that Manuka has a higher content…. You find that Sourwood honey is better while you’re wife has other preferences. For me personally the best honey is the honey made here in DFW area. WHY? The variety of wildflowers is the key.(cocktail of nectars). I truly believe that the mono flower cannot be better than poly or multi flowers HONEY. Testing the honey from 2 different hives I noticed that the honey has the same color but different flavors. Amazing. I love 2 test sourwood honey in some days. Blessings.
Bob, I live in Alabama and we have a lot of Sourwood around me at 500’ to 700’ elevation. Will I be able to make Sourwood honey? I am a new beekeeper this year and I have learned a great deal from your videos. Thank you.
No, Alabama native hare. No sourwood production in Alabama.
Sourwood needs an ideal microclimate.
I agree with the comment from the Alabama native.
I’m with your wife nothing better than tulip poplar honey
I have heard of black locust honey but have never tried it. I noticed this year the black locust in the pilot mountain area of NC were really blooming hard and wondered if the bees produced a lot of honey. Did you get a lot of black locust honey this year and if so how can I get some. My opinion is sourwood is the absolute best honey I've tasted and 3 years ago there was a huge bloom here in northwest nc and it was great honey very light in color and absolutely awesome. There's a state trooper that had a bunch of it and had it tested in the 90 percent range and it was great.
We have made some black locust honey, it is good, but it always blends in with the rest of our spring wildflower.
I with you on the sourwood.👍
A freind of mine who winters in Texas brought me Texas wildflower this year .
It tastes like medicine.
Nothing like anything ive tasted in Canada
Texas does have some good honeys but what you got may be Chinese Tallow which in my opinion would fit your description.
Hello Bob. Only beekeepers know how much work is required to obtain pure honey from a single crop of honey plants. Only polyflora honey is obtained a little easier. Often the flowering of the crops overlaps for 2-3 days and compromises all the honey.
If consumers knew all the ins and outs of honey production, it would be easier to pay the right price.
All the best.
A lot of interesting comments that you made. We live in Southern New Mexico and the craze for Green Chile nationwide seems to be Hatch Green Chile. The Hatch Valley is only so big. Yet all of the Chile farmers are jumping on the bandwagon and labeling their Chile as Hatch Chile. Farmers in the Hatch Valley have banded together to stop such labeling. Will they win, doubtful just like you and your mental battle with others claiming to make Sourwood Honey that is not Sourwood. Our honey we simple call wildflower honey because it comes from whatever wildflower our bees can find. No, we do not eat Hatch Green Chile either. We grow XXX Lumbre Green Chile!
What is a good resource to have honey tested for type? How expensive is it to have honey tested? Thanks for your wonderful content.
I'm trying to find a reliable place now and may announce it when I figure it out. Texas A&M is where ours got tested in the past but the man who did it has passed away.
To be perfectly honest I like the honey we produce which is mainly clover honey the sourwood I bought from you I liked it but my 4yr old grandson liked it more he didn’t leave that much for me to get a good evaluation of it😂
I live in AZ, & really enjoy watching your video's! Would love to try some sourwood honey, & even some of your other varieties. Is the a phone number to call your store?
Bob, have you ever tasted Sweet Pepperbush Honey? Clethra Alnfolia, it’s got a hint of anisette.
Hello Bob,
I admire your ethics when it comes to your business; it’s a rare trait to see these days in my opinion. I’m very much looking forward to the 5 hour drive to visit your store this fall. Thanks again for another insightful video.
Thanks. Ask if I'm there when you come.
When folks pull up to by fresh peaches at a road side stand, they often ask for Elbertas. Elbertas are one of the three originals. They are ready around the 4th of July. So if they sell you those Elbertas any other time, it is a lie. Some people will lie through their teeth to make a sell
Bob, do you have a variety pack of honey varietals in your store which include sourwood, black locust, tulip poplar, etc? And do you ship to MN? I would really like to try some of these, and unfortunately, I don't ever get down your way.
We do have small 2 oz jars with some of our flavors but not all. The best way to order would be to call our store at 706 782 6722 and ask about which ones we have and they can ship it.
Your sure making me worry about my "Sourwood?" honey this year. Many of my supers were put on July 1 or even June 25. For those who don't know I'm in the range of Bob's Sourwood yards. Otto, NC south of Franklin, NC
Thanks Bob great video , would love to try some of your sourwood how could we make that happen I’m located in Australia cheers
Thanks for the inquiry but I'm sorry we are not shipping out of the country at this time.
@@bobbinnie9872 worth a try thanks
Thanks for sharing I know you are speaking the truth about how people label honey and it’s not what they say I bought some honey from a roadside place and it was really good so I came back about a week later and bought some more and it was in the same bottle and label but tasted different it wasn’t as good it wasn’t horrible but I could taste something different I’m no expert I have very little knowledge about bees so nobody think I’m a expert lol
I think I've found 5 sourwood trees here on 35 acreas in taft,tn. If you have a close up of blooms would be great. I'm going up in bucket truck today to get a picture of bloom on a low tree to try and verify before there gone. I believe the carolina buckthorn i found plenty of in may covered with bees this year is probably better than my buckwheat. Who do i send to to verify whats in it? Thanks so much for all yalls help.
You may like our video "The Sourwood Trees are Blooming in The Blue Ridge Mountains" ruclips.net/video/puBmwJ69nWY/видео.html. My honey was tested in the past at Texas A&M but the man doing it has passed away and I'm currently looking for another place.
10/4, please mention where we can send for testing when you find one, thanks. I'm curious to know mine
Is the company in Tennessee selling fake sourwood called “stranges honey farm”? A local store has it and it’s very dark and cheap, I haven’t tried it but I haven’t had sourwood before to compare it to.
Hey Bob. I havent heard of the "world championship" contest for honey production. is it staged in different countries each year? It would be interesting to see how your honey stacks up against some of our honeys in Australia (not Austria, that's in Europe). we have a lot of honey varieties here given the vast amount of tree species. there is even one on my property that doesnt grow anywhere else in the world. perhaps you might enjjoy a visit here some time. oh by the way, we are getting varoa mite here now. our government thinks they can stop it. put that on the list with rabbits, foxes, numerous noxious weeds and the list goes on and on. I enjoy your tutoring on mite control. I hope to be ready when the time comes.
The competition mentioned is with Apimondia, also known as the International Federation of Beekeepers' Associations. Its conventions are held in a different country each time and in 2023 it will be in Santiago, Chile. I would love to visit Australia in the future and it's on my wish list. Good luck with the mites.
Are you planting sourwood trees or just hoping whatever is in your area produces?
Hey Bob, were you able to find a laboratory that tests honey for floral sources?
I've been given some suggestions and will be looking into one soon.
The same thing here in Scotland with heather honey. A premium product requiring great effort but as there's no independent testing programme I also know of people being downright dishonest with their labelling. I suppose that type of amoral character will always be with us, sadly.
I believe you are right.
I have ten sourwood trees here on the Olympic Peninsula for my hives and am curious if it affects(and to what degree) the flavor of my honey. The honey is very light.
In my view Sourwood honey always helps other honeys but I'm not sure if trees in your area would give you any nectar..