Some REALLY dark honey in Western New York

[kchendershott]

We started extracting this week - best year so far in 5 years! We have 7 hives - 4 overwintered and 3 new hives started from scratch this summer. Still got about 20 supers full - mix of shallows and mediums. All of our honey in years past has been a beautiful delicate light gold color with a wonderful flavor. This year we're getting a lot of supers full of REALLY dark honey with a strong flavor! My husband is wondering about a buckwheat field that's almost 2 miles away, but otherwise we don't know of anything else that's different. Anyone else having this happen? We're in Wyoming County, south of Buffalo and Rochester.

[funwithbees]

Hi, Most likely bamboo-japanese knotweed.usually produces really well on dry years. we had an abundance here also.
Nick

[Happy Honey Farm]

We had the best year also, was this your only extraction this year? our summer honey was very dark this year because of low moisture this year.
so if it was a mix with summer and fall that maybe the reason for the dark honey.

[Sam Fugate]

I took some honey from one of my hives in late July and it was very dark and thick. Some of the best honey I have ever had. I gave it to friends and neighbors and they all loved it ! Now they are knocking my door down wanting more. If you have any left I would like to buy some.

[krad1964]

If it has a reddish color when held to the light, it may be Tulip Poplar. At least that is what I was told by more experienced beeks.

[shannonswyatt]

My dad likes buckwheat honey, it is extremely dark. I think that is grown in NY.

[kchendershott]

I wondered about the bamboo, there's a lot of that here in this area now. However, after talking to a beekeeper friend, we decided it was definitely buckwheat. I'm starting on some supers now that were on top for the later flows, and the honey is much much lighter - light gold and delicate - my favorite.

[shannonswyatt]

Well, if you need to get rid of some buckwheat I know someone who likes it! It is an acquired taste I guess. I would rather have sourwood.