Heather honey 2022?

[peterbees]

Any sign of ling heather honey this year?

 

[Erichalfbee]

Murray is reporting ok crops but he’s in Scotland
Curly green fingers says he’s doing well. He’s adding supers to his colonies on the heather. He’s in Shropshire
How is it Conwy way, Peter?

 

[peterbees]

No heather honey in my hives at home yet. Last year there was heather honey at home by 4th August.

 

[Swarm]

Fires at Blaenafon, hope the heather is not destroyed like it was at Rhondda Fach a few years ago.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

started smelling heather at the home hives yesterday, although I'm not confident of any kind of crop this year

 

[Bryang]

The heather between Maerdy and Ferndale ( Rhondda Fach), is looking good. My hives are about a mile from it, but I get very little honey from it.

 

[Swarm]

Nice to hear it's grown back Bryan, it broke my heart to see all that carnage.

 

[elainemary]

V strong smell of heather honey here in Yorkshire. Bearding outside the hives under the red moon this evening. Happy days

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

had a call from the castle this morning - they needed more honey (goes down well with the grockles looking for souvenirs with a difference) so it was a good excuse to drive over the mountain and scope out the heather. All purpling up nicely and looking a damn sight better than a fortnight ago. It's san to see how the heather is forever retreating under the onslaught of bracken and scrub grass (all thanks to the usual mismanagement by the national park - clueless as how to manage moorland) I stood on the spot where, before I was born, my mother and grandfather (and Meg the spaniel) posed for a photograph, guns at the ready, knee deep in, and surrounded by heather as far as the eye could see - to mark the glorious twelfth.
Today it was still a fair half hour's hike before reaching any substantial heather. It's also the first time ever I've stood on the moor on the twelfth sans gun and sans spaniel.
Back at the home apiary tonight, the smell of heather honey ripening was obvious.

 

[JamezF]

I'd completely missed the fact that it is the twelfth today. This year has flown by.

James

 

[elainemary]

had a call from the castle this morning - they needed more honey (goes down well with the grockles looking for souvenirs with a difference) so it was a good excuse to drive over the mountain and scope out the heather. All purpling up nicely and looking a damn sight better than a fortnight ago. It's san to see how the heather is forever retreating under the onslaught of bracken and scrub grass (all thanks to the usual mismanagement by the national park - clueless as how to manage moorland) I stood on the spot where, before I was born, my mother and grandfather (and Meg the spaniel) posed for a photograph, guns at the ready, knee deep in, and surrounded by heather as far as the eye could see - to mark the glorious twelfth.
Today it was still a fair half hour's hike before reaching any substantial heather. It's also the first time ever I've stood on the moor on the twelfth sans gun and sans spaniel.
Back at the home apiary tonight, the smell of heather honey

 

[Wilco]

had a call from the castle this morning - they needed more honey (goes down well with the grockles looking for souvenirs with a difference) so it was a good excuse to drive over the mountain and scope out the heather. All purpling up nicely and looking a damn sight better than a fortnight ago. It's san to see how the heather is forever retreating under the onslaught of bracken and scrub grass (all thanks to the usual mismanagement by the national park - clueless as how to manage moorland) I stood on the spot where, before I was born, my mother and grandfather (and Meg the spaniel) posed for a photograph, guns at the ready, knee deep in, and surrounded by heather as far as the eye could see - to mark the glorious twelfth.
Today it was still a fair half hour's hike before reaching any substantial heather. It's also the first time ever I've stood on the moor on the twelfth sans gun and sans spaniel.
Back at the home apiary tonight, the smell of heather honey ripening was obvious.

It's so sad when we lose the heather. GWCT doing their bit to try and slow the bandwagon.

I'm being optimistic that the recent wildfire on part of the heather near me might bode well for a few years down the line.

 

[peterbees]

had a call from the castle this morning - they needed more honey (goes down well with the grockles looking for souvenirs with a difference) so it was a good excuse to drive over the mountain and scope out the heather. All purpling up nicely and looking a damn sight better than a fortnight ago. It's san to see how the heather is forever retreating under the onslaught of bracken and scrub grass (all thanks to the usual mismanagement by the national park - clueless as how to manage moorland) I stood on the spot where, before I was born, my mother and grandfather (and Meg the spaniel) posed for a photograph, guns at the ready, knee deep in, and surrounded by heather as far as the eye could see - to mark the glorious twelfth.
Today it was still a fair half hour's hike before reaching any substantial heather. It's also the first time ever I've stood on the moor on the twelfth sans gun and sans spaniel.
Back at the home apiary tonight, the smell of heather honey ripening was obvious.

Which castle?

 

[stoneleighhouse]

had a call from the castle this morning - they needed more honey (goes down well with the grockles looking for souvenirs with a difference) so it was a good excuse to drive over the mountain and scope out the heather. All purpling up nicely and looking a damn sight better than a fortnight ago. It's san to see how the heather is forever retreating under the onslaught of bracken and scrub grass (all thanks to the usual mismanagement by the national park - clueless as how to manage moorland) I stood on the spot where, before I was born, my mother and grandfather (and Meg the spaniel) posed for a photograph, guns at the ready, knee deep in, and surrounded by heather as far as the eye could see - to mark the glorious twelfth.
Today it was still a fair half hour's hike before reaching any substantial heather. It's also the first time ever I've stood on the moor on the twelfth sans gun and sans spaniel.
Back at the home apiary tonight, the smell of heather honey ripening was obvious.

Grockles? Good to see you are respectful of your customers!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Which castle?

The castle my ancestor built - Carreg Cennen, I have hives at the foot of the crag

 

[peterbees]

The castle my ancestor built - Carreg Cennen, I have hives at the foot of the crag

We're walking the Wales Coast Path. We visited Kidwelly Castle last month, very impressive. Hope to reach Swansea next month, then just 100 miles to finish at Chepstow.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Kidwelly Castle last month

where another ancestor of mine - Gwenllian (the mother of Rhys ap Gruffudd who built the original Carreg Cennen castle, was killed)

 

[pete darbyshire]

Heather here is amazing. One super per hive filled in a week.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

after a pessimistic forecast for here, I've just been rushing around the home apiary before the heavens open as they're shovelling in the heather, even three newly promoted nucs now begging for a second super.

 

[peterbees]

where another ancestor of mine - Gwenllian (the mother of Rhys ap Gruffudd who built the original Carreg Cennen castle, was killed)

Memorial to Gwenllian at Kidwelly Castle.