Honey Show

[Teemore]

Entered my first honey show last night (local association) and came home with two firsts - chunk honey and cut comb, a second - honey cake, and a third - open class!! Missed out in the light honey class as there was a defect in one of my jars that i hadn't spotted....

One of the exhibitors brought along some fantastic looking jars of ribena coloured honey - any suggestions as to what his bees are likely to have been foraging on? Could it be honey dew?

 

[Monsieur Abeille]

Well done - very satisfying isnt it

 

[susbees]

One of the exhibitors brought along some fantastic looking jars of ribena coloured honey - any suggestions as to what his bees are likely to have been foraging on? Could it be honey dew?

Well it wouldn't be maraschino cherry colouring as in some American hives' honey last year, but could be from a similar industrial supply or a surfeit of red coloured pop in the area.

 

[Chris B]

Bell heather?

 

[beeatshellards]

well done, it will encourage you to enter again next year too

 

[garethbryson]

One of the members in our club lives beside an ice cream factory. 2 years ago he had a super full of green honey. he thinks there was a dumped batch of green ice cream that the bees brought back to the hive.

 

[Teemore]

Don't think that he has bees anywhere near commercial sites or dumps so i am tending to think that he has had a colony or two near bell heather. I know that he has colonies in a forest park which made me consider the possibility that it was honeydue. I'll get chatting to him over the weekend and put an end to my curiosity!!

I am planning to enter another honey show at the start of November - I intend to refilter the run honey as I think the nylon filter I used isn't fine enough for showing. I also need to get a few better quality jars....

Has anyone got a recommendation for suppliers with a stock of good quality 1lb jars?? Maybe that would be giving away the secrets to success!!

 

[Black Comb]

Be careful.
I've heard tales of serious exhibitors designing special filtration pumps to ensure the honey contains no pollen etc. And also of some visiting jar factories to ensure they got "perfect" jars.

 

[justme]

Entered my first honey show last night (local association) and came home with two firsts - chunk honey and cut comb, a second - honey cake, and a third - open class!! Missed out in the light honey class as there was a defect in one of my jars that i hadn't spotted....

One of the exhibitors brought along some fantastic looking jars of ribena coloured honey - any suggestions as to what his bees are likely to have been foraging on? Could it be honey dew?

Thats a great question, ribena coloured honey also at Callington Honey Fair. Judge thought it was not bell heather but didnt have a clue as to what it was. It did get 1st though.

 

[Into the lions den]

Without seeing, smelling, tasting I cannot give a sure suggestion............however

Have seen and tasted honey matching this description, though more towards a deep brown but purple tinged. Japanese Knotweed was the source.

 

[Nic Rhodes]

remember a green minty honey care of a sweet factory in Southampton in the 70s...