[thesurveyor]

Anyone have any reports on how good the sourwood flow is. Looks like its in high swing, but hard to tell, every yard around here as so much clover it.

 

[tct1w]

Wish I had an answer but have the same question. Have some hives in Boone and am going up later in the week to see how the girls are doing. All the signs are that the flow should be good,but we will see. Peace Dave

 

[victory1504]

Sourwood seems VERY early here. Ours is over half way down the spike. We should be finished in another week. I just started a hive in mid-May so I don't know about the flow. I'm north of Chattanooga, Tn. at 1800 feet.

 

[suttonbeeman]

From what I'm told 1/2 over....earliest flow anyone can remember. I was heading down with a load, but cant get off and there in time as its so early.

 

[sqkcrk]

Does it matter? Yer gonna call it sourwood anyway, aren't ya?

 

[thesurveyor]

That happens alot, people say it sourwood, when it could pass for most anything else.

 

[wolfpenfarm]

Does it matter? Yer gonna call it sourwood anyway, aren't ya?

You do that and your going to piss off your customers if it isn't sourwood. i know so many places that you have to get on a waiting list to get it.

 

[victory1504]

Pure sourwood is about the color of lemon juice. It is often mixed with other things that bloom at the same time ( like red sumac ). You MUST buy sourwood BY SMELL ! It is VERY UNIQUE. Yes, other honeys are often sold for sourwood.

 

[sqkcrk]

You do that and your going to piss off your customers if it isn't sourwood. i know so many places that you have to get on a waiting list to get it.

Yeah, I know. When I went to the farm Mkt near Ashville I saw sourwood of many colors. It's real hard to smell it through the jar. So I had to trust the guy that I bought it from.

I was buying it for a friend here in NY. When I gave it to him he said,"That's not sourwood." Then he tasted it and said,"You got took. It isn't sourwood." There aught to be a law.

I have a jar of sourwood that i bought down in SC, not too far from Myrtle Beach. It comes from Wright's Farm, West Liberty, KY. Does anyone know if what they say it is is the real stuff. I have had it on my office shelf for a cpl of years and it is 99% crystalized. The part that's not tastes kinda like Sue Bee Clover, but not really. There is some other taste or flavor there also.

 

[victory1504]

Unscrew the lid and smell. You have my permission. Sourwood has a very unmistakable fragrance. Pure sourwood is not amber AT ALL. If it is not very light in color it is mixed with other honey ( probably by the bees ). I would NOT pay the price for even light amber honey. You cannot be sure about the smell unless you are familiar with the smell of sourwood.
A light amber honey ( mixed ) can have a very distinctive sourwood fragrance. People may be justified in calling it sourwood if it smells like sourwood but I would be reluctant to pay much of a premium price.

 

[suttonbeeman]

Wrights farm doesnt exist as far as a bee farm. THey buy honey the cheapest place (already n the jar they can find and label it sourwood. Loyd Roe farms is the same. They sell "molasses" an at a festival their banner will read "sorguhm" but label says molasses. It is black strap molasses and corn syrup. FDA says not a health threat and cant get them to do anything...and the "molasses" is properly labeled! ALSO there is a honey packing company in eastern Tennessee(up inc
NE part) that packs and sells "Tennessee MOuntain Honey" Wasnt no honey made in Tn hardly last year...but this guy had 100's of cases You could buy clover for (quarts) 65.00 case or sourwood for 67.00 cs. SAME HONEY differant label. I figure its a good chance it was also containing hfcs. If he keeps it up guess we will lock horns. You cant buy extra white honey at 1.40-1.50 lb ship it from midwest, put in jars and label it and deliver it 200 miles for 65.00 cs and make a profit! or much of one to stay in business! Sourwood honey also usually doesnt granulate. You probably got georiga wildflower....thats what wrights usually sold! THey dont a one hive of bees!

 

[victory1504]

YES ! "The heart is deceitful above all things and despirately wicked". Let the buyer beware. DO NOT pay a higher price for either sourwood or sorghum unless you are sure what you are getting. BOTH ARE OFTEN COUNTERFEITED ! Both are hard to identify if you are not experienced.
"Tennessee Mountain Honey" could be anything ( probably tulip poplar ). There is no way to know where it came from. Buy by color and fragrance.

 

[NewbeeNnc]

Mine finally started working it. It came in along with the end of clover. I have 2 sourwood trees outside my kitchen window, and have seen some bees on the blooms, but they are not all rushing to it. Some are getting more than I am.

 

[lupester]

Anyone in Central Virginia that has sourwood honey? I have an friend who is older there that would like to buy some but he does not do the internet so he does not know how to locate it.

 

[suttonbeeman]

Tennessee mountain honey IS NOT TENNESSEE honey or poplar(amber in color). It is VERY light (extra white)honey??? from midwest with tennessee mt label. I dont want to make false claims, but I wonder if it is pure because of the wholesale price.

 

[Rottybee]

Anyone in Central Virginia that has sourwood honey? I have an friend who is older there that would like to buy some but he does not do the internet so he does not know how to locate it.

I just heard that the sourwood is coming in now. Don't know for sure cause I don't have any near me.

 

[USCBeeMan]

I was told a long time ago that you need to read the label. If the word "Sourwood" is spelled as one word it is suppose to be the real thing. If it is spelled "Sour Wood" all bets are off. Now if that is true and there is a law in your state that supports this, I would complain and prosecute.

This was told to me by a beek selling honey in NC mountains years ago.