[Adrian Quiney WI]

and what will it mean for hive management? I've only been beekeeping since 2008 and this year the goldenrod here is St. Croix County is starting to bloom already. According to my readings and limited experience Goldenrod is usually about a month later, and the last flow. The way it is going the Goldenrod is going to come in strong in the next week. Clover, Knapweed, and Trefoil are still in bloom. Another bloom of Alfalfa is likely before the summer is over.
When are the Wisconsin Beeks going to take their last honey this year? Do you go by a calender indicator or a floral one?
Thanks, Adrian.

 

[smith]

Good question: Bumper year here in southern Wis. Maybe Biblical. Everything is two weeks to a month early. We were going to harvest, but the humidity was high so we decided to wait and just keep adding supers. Still a lot of alfalfa, clover and goldenrod in queue, and enough rain to keep things green. I'm thinking delaying harvest until a certified dryspell. This is one of those rare years where I'd let the bees play out to the max. Nothing lost if your patient.

 

[phil c]

Here in Eastern Ia. we are seeing just a few Goldenrod starting to bloom as well. Weel have to mkeep an eye on it.

 

[sqkcrk]

I've seen it here in Northern NY, up near the St. Lawrence Seaway, since July 7th. I see fields of it now. Some speculation is that the goldenrod season will be long, starting "early", while others speculate that it will be just as long as usual , but over earlier. Which, I guess would mean the same for the asters.

What this could mean, is a longer period in which to prepare your hives for winter, ie feeding. It could also mean that some of us will go south earlier. which could be nice for us and the bees.

 

[Trevor Mansell]

On this side of St. Croix county the Goldenrod should also be up and running next week but I cant see Goldenrod lasting longer than usual , nothing else did. I am pulling everything off now so I can hopefully get back to Fl early and split them off.

 

[muskratcreekhoney]

Here in Michigan I see the goldenrod just starting to turn yellow here and there. Bring it on! I just harvested mint honey last week and I hate it. Come on goldenrod.

 

[Marc]

Here in Michigan I see the goldenrod just starting to turn yellow here and there. Bring it on! I just harvested mint honey last week and I hate it. Come on goldenrod.

I never tried mint honey, that I recall. Can you tell us why you hate it? Flavor? Smell? Just curious...

 

[muskratcreekhoney]

It tastes just like mint, it's not overpowering but in about 30 minutes I end up with heartburn. My doc says mint is one of the foods to stay away from if you have GERD. Anyway I guess its like anything else some like it some don't. For instance you ever had buckwheat honey? Tastes like feed grade molasses, to me that is.

 

[cmonkey]

I noticed some blooming at our place last week. I've never really paid attention to timing, but I'm sure it doesn't normally start until at least the first or second week of August, if not later. Still no asters, though. I'm going to check the super to see if I can pull it off before they start bringing in the goldenrod for real.

 

[bigeddie]

Goldenrod is starting here in n. wisc. I pulled all the capped honey off this week so let it come. I think its going to be a bigger flow than normal but will end early.

 

[Marc]

It tastes just like mint, it's not overpowering but in about 30 minutes I end up with heartburn. My doc says mint is one of the foods to stay away from if you have GERD. Anyway I guess its like anything else some like it some don't. For instance you ever had buckwheat honey? Tastes like feed grade molasses, to me that is.

LOL, yep, I agree, I can't get into the buckwheat honey taste, it's just not my cup of tea.

 

[cmonkey]

For instance you ever had buckwheat honey? Tastes like feed grade molasses, to me that is.

I'd take that over the stuff I had at the MN state fair one year. Tasted JUST like tomcat pee smells. I couldn't believe they were giving out samples.

I'd eat my weight in mint honey, though.

 

[BillyH]

Goldenrod is starting blooming here in Carson, MS. :lookout:

 

[Roland]

We have not seen much Goldenrod In S.E. Wisconsin. I have been told, but can not verify, that there are several kinds of Goldenrod, and it is the later blooming one that is nectar producing. Our experience supports that hypothesis. I will not venture to predict what it will produce this year, seeing as we have had 7 1/2 inches of rain last week, and everything seems out of whack. Looks like Dutch clover is starting to bloom in the lawns as it finally dries out. Way late for Dutch clover, NORMALLY.

Roland

 

[jmgi]

Here in southeast Michigan the goldenrod is about a week away yet, the flower buds are just starting to turn from green to yellowish. There are many types of goldenrod though, and all bloom at different times succesively. This has truly been an unusual season, although a very good one I believe, maybe even one of the best you could hope for. Very warm, humid, and plenty of rain just at the right time ever since spring. We did have one short period of real hot, dry, clear weather that dried things up pretty good, including the dutch clover, but at least a few inches of rain in the last couple weeks has greened everything up again, and the dutch clover seems to have made a comeback and is blooming almost as heavily as earlier in the summer. I predict a longer than normal blooming season for fall flowers with warmer temperatures than we usually see during the fall flow, which I believe will give an unexpected surplus honey crop besides making enough to winter on. John

 

[AltamontBee]

I'm a little west of Albany, NY, and I have a lot of goldenrod in full bloom already. Definitely seems early.

Jennifer

 

[Adrian Quiney WI]

I'm no Botanist, but I believe there are two types of Goldenrod around here. The first has flowers that the top of which look like flat buttons and doesn't produce anything for us, but the other (the frondy stuff that almost looks like a flame) does. I'm waiting to see enough of it blooming in one place, then I'll go check for bees. Everything else is still going.:applause: White and yellow clover, trefoil, and alfalfa. So it's going to be interesting to see if they like the Goldenrod over other stuff.
I had no drawn mediums at the start of the year. My best hive has drawn out four supers and I've extracted two of them and put them back on; They're filling again.:thumbsup: