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Author Topic: question on black locust honey  (Read 1879 times)

Offline c10250

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question on black locust honey
« on: May 27, 2012, 10:21:53 am »
This year I finally had a booming hive going into the black locust flow.  The hive was on a scale.  Like clockwork, when the BL bloomed, the hive started gaining weight . . . when the flowers dropped, the hive stopped gaining weight.  I was putting on 14 lbs per day some days.

The hive gained 90 lbs during that time.  I harvested around 30 lbs of that.  To my surprise, the honey was darker than I expected.  It wasn't  real dark, but definitely a darker color.  I always thought BL honey would be light.  I'm sure other things were blooming too, but I'm 100% confident that the majority of the honey collected was BL.

Does anyone have any experience with BL honey?  Why would my honey be so dark?

By the way, it tastes great . . . but I still haven't found a honey I like better than my goldenrod honey . . .

Ken

Offline indypartridge

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Re: question on black locust honey
« Reply #1 on: May 29, 2012, 07:34:04 am »
Were the tulip poplars blooming at the same time? Tulip poplar honey is dark. Usually the black locust bloom ends before the poplars bloom, but some years they overlap.

Offline AllenF

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Re: question on black locust honey
« Reply #2 on: May 29, 2012, 11:55:47 am »
Both honeys are great.   Both can put on weight fast.   

Offline windfall

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Re: question on black locust honey
« Reply #3 on: May 29, 2012, 12:08:06 pm »
Black Locust is one of my favorite trees.  The blossoms are so beautiful, and when a mature grove blooms the scent can carry a mile easy. Grows fast even on crummy soils.
On top of that, when you can find a log the borers have not gotten into it may well be one of the best native hardwoods. Strong, shock resistant, near rot-proof, stable, attractive colr and grain....

Would love to try it as a varietal honey and add yet another item to it's list of great qualities.

I know none of this answers your question but I can't resist singing the praises of this undervalued native treasure.

Offline c10250

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Re: question on black locust honey UPDATE
« Reply #4 on: May 30, 2012, 02:22:02 pm »
edited
« Last Edit: June 01, 2012, 01:42:37 pm by c10250 »

Offline yockey5

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Re: question on black locust honey
« Reply #5 on: May 31, 2012, 11:00:04 am »
BL honey is almost as white as Vetch. I will be putting bees on some Mexican Bamboo later this year, any info on what to expect?