lavender site?

[Heather]

Does lavender honey become tricky to extract similar to OSR. Is there a time schedule to grab it before I have a problem. having an opportunity to have hives in a large lavender area.

 

[Ian123]

I did a quick google most appears runny in jars so would think your ok. I was once approached to put some in a lavender farm. When I called the guy wanted paying and a certain amount of honey plus honey at a stupid price to sell in their shop. I politely declined and asked if he new bees could fly.If they had been local I would have found a nearby farmers field!

 

[happyculteur]

Plenty of time. Crystalisation takes several months and conservation is good.. Colour depends on type of lavender/lavendin. But I shall insist on one thing. It all depends on what the lavender is for. Down here it flowers throughout july, starting low down on the stems and slowly opening up for the flowers higher on the stalks. So there's a good regular arrival of nectar. BUT if the lavender is for the perfume industry it will be cut after 2 or 3 flowers have opened as this is when the buds are bursting with essential oil. If this is the case I wouldn't expect much of a crop for the bees. And if big machinery is used, a lot of bees end up in the harvest. I had 250 acres of lavender around my last house . Just another monoculture.

 

[robmort]

I grow several different varieties of lavender but none of them is liked at all by honey bees, only bumble bees. Maybe some varieties do attract honey bees, or some types of honey bee.

 

[Heather]

Thanks all, food for thought.

 

[ericbeaumont]

an opportunity to have hives in a large lavender area.

Found research from 1953 that shows Lavender to be higher in fructose, which won't set like OSR, but Honeybeesuite.com suggests it's high in glucose: Other honeys that granulate quickly are clover, lavender, dandelion, and alfalfa.

Happyculteur's advice sounds good; put it this way: I'm sure you'll take the site no matter the speed of setting!

 

[masterBK]

Lavendar honey (as does Borage honey) contains more sucrose than most types of honey and this is allowed for in the 2015 Honey regulations

Sucrose content— (a) all honey except for honey specified in paragraph (b) or (c) not more than 5g/100g
(b) false acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia) honey, alfalfa (Medicago sativa) honey, Menzies Banksia (Banksia menziesii) honey, French honeysuckle (Hedysarum) honey, red gum (Eucalyptus camadulensis) honey, leatherwood (Eucryphia lucida, Eucryphia milliganii) honey, Citrus spp. honey not more than 10g/100g
(c) lavender (Lavandula spp.) honey, borage (Borago officinalis) honey not more than 15g/100g

 

[Mint Bee]

I did a quick google most appears runny in jars so would think your ok. I was once approached to put some in a lavender farm. When I called the guy wanted paying and a certain amount of honey plus honey at a stupid price to sell in their shop. I politely declined and asked if he new bees could fly.If they had been local I would have found a nearby farmers field!

Mayfield's?

 

[Ian123]

Mayfield's?

Could well have been there in the right area, it was back 2006-7.

 

[citrus]

My bees are within the 1.5km of Mayfields so free dibs for them !

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

My bees are within the 1.5km of Mayfields so free dibs for them !

But how will they get there after brexshit when kilometres get abolished!?

 

[Ian123]

My bees are within the 1.5km of Mayfields so free dibs for them !

Should have kept your head down am sure the bill will be in the post

 

[citrus]

I always wind the window and shout thank you as I drive by anyway

 

[Mint Bee]

local story goes a few years ago (maybe 10+) that no one could get bees on the farm itself (ties in with Ian's comment), and that a number of larger local beekeepers moved bees into the surrounding location. Website offers beekeeping experience on site, so either times have changed or someone has taken up original offer

 

[Norton]

Lavendar honey (as does Borage honey) contains more sucrose than most types of honey and this is allowed for in the 2015 Honey regulations

Sucrose content— (a) all honey except for honey specified in paragraph (b) or (c) not more than 5g/100g
(b) false acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia) honey, alfalfa (Medicago sativa) honey, Menzies Banksia (Banksia menziesii) honey, French honeysuckle (Hedysarum) honey, red gum (Eucalyptus camadulensis) honey, leatherwood (Eucryphia lucida, Eucryphia milliganii) honey, Citrus spp. honey not more than 10g/100g
(c) lavender (Lavandula spp.) honey, borage (Borago officinalis) honey not more than 15g/100g

Hello,
is this a UK regulation or a EU directive?

 

[masterBK]

is this a UK regulation or a EU directive?
[/QUOTE]

Both I think as also found in honey regs of every country in EU and also in every country in UK (eg scottish honey regs)