[thedudeabides]

Do any of you guys who get sourwood honey have any indications as to whether this will be a good or bad year based on the state of the blooms or the weather we've had? I took three hives to Asheville, NC yesterday and left them at a friends house which is about 2300 feet elevation. The area was mostly wooded. I don't know if this is a good spot or not. I think sourwoods are generally in this area, but not sure. Has the flow started at this elevation/area? By when do you think it will be over? Thanks in advance.

 

[Thinlizzy]

I'm in Kingston, Tn. Stopped to look at the Sourwood and the girls are working it but with the strong storms we've had recently I'm eager to see what they've managed to get. We had a ton of blossoms from them last year but I believe they were dry. I hear that on an ideal year you can literally shake the Sourwood blossoms and watch the nectar drip out hence my concerns about the strong local storms recently. Another storm kicking up now as I type this...

 

[Mountain Man]

They are loading up here

 

[thedudeabides]

Does anyone else know if the flow has started in this area or know about when it should end or typically ends?

 

[ericweller]

I am starting to see the flower petals on the ground in North Georgia so I would guess we have another week before it dries up.

 

[wglord]

I have 36 hives at 3000 feet and have made big sourwood crops the last 3 years. Everything looks good right now. I just took off the spring honey which as usual is very dark, mostly poplar. My bees build up on the spring flow and make a much bigger sourwood crop than spring crop, due to cold winters and cool springs. We sell at the odd festival and people pick the poplar 2:1 over sourwood if they get to taste the 2 side-by-side. Sold $2500 worth of honey in 2 days last weekend. The store and roadside stands in this part of NC are chock full of what looks like Chinese honey but is clearly bogus 'sourwood' honey. When people find the real thing they are thrilled. They seem to particularly like chunk honey in a jar.

 

[j.kuder]

just checked it yesterday and it's just startin around here.

 

[snl]

Again, much more sold than ever harvested.....