What hive setup to use for the ivy flows?

[Erichalfbee]

Same as borage, the most boring honey in Britain.

Yes why is it at such a premium? I bought a jar to try and was completely underwhelmed

 

[Curly green finger's]

Yes why is it at such a premium? I bought a jar to try and was completely underwhelmed

Because its a neish and we don't grow it on mass for whatever reason.

 

[Erichalfbee]

But it’s tasteless! I bet a lot of people buy just one jar?

 

[Murox]

Yes why is it at such a premium? I bought a jar to try and was completely underwhelmed

probably because its like any other single source honey - "special" - but not necessarily any good.

 

[mbc]

Same as borage, the most boring honey in Britain.

I find willowherb and balsam bland too

 

[Ian123]

Much like rape some people or beeks moan about the bland sweetness. Stick it on a table offering a taste test many of the public like it, in fact it can be 50/50 with a dark summer honey.

 

[user 819]

Two years ago I had a good ivy flow in the garden, though the colony had some good stores I started topping up with fondant and feeding below an eke under the CB as one can't always relying on the ivy until I can sense the aroma in the air or from the hive. Not only did they fill up with good stores they filled the eke with wild comb and stores. I robbed the wild comb as spring may have been messy putting it right.

 

[Amari]

Same as borage, the most boring honey in Britain.

Borage yields good-looking combs for showing. Wooden Beam on here won first prize at our local honey show.

 

[alancooper]

To produce a ivy crop?

There is a good ivy crop here in the hedged landscape and mild, moist September/October period an my bees work the flowers from mid-Sept to mid-Oct until cold weather keeps them in the hive.
I take a crop with unwired frames. I cut the set honey from the frame and leave it in sealed buckets until Spring then warm it until runny and press it out and soft set it.
The mature taste is delicious. Comparisons with Manuka have been made in other parts of Ireland where it is now being marketed.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I find willowherb and balsam bland too

just overly sweet with not much substance

 

[ericbeaumont]

Stick it on a table offering a taste test many of the public like it, in fact it can be 50/50 with a dark summer honey.

Yep. Trick is to establish what the customer likes, and not all like flavour.

I promote borage as ideal for herbal teas as it won't interfere with the taste of the tea. Again at market on Saturday I used the most boring honey in Britain, and the customer bought it on that basis!

Customers appreciate candour and guidance; if they avoid borage at least we have a laugh and I sell a dark one instead.

Took some borage to my mum one year and she told me to take it away. That's not honey! That's sugar! she said repeatedly, so I gave up, took it away and gave her the usual. Got to please the customer!

 

[ericbeaumont]

we don't grow it on mass for whatever reason

Borage gives British farmers the best cash return per acre than any other crop. The pdf info. suggests there's a big UK market for it, but maybe the contracts are sought after and limited. Anybody in the farming industry know more?

 

[BigAshW]

Hmmm I wonder what Ivy honey mead would come out like. May have to try and collect some next year.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Hmmm I wonder what Ivy honey mead would come out like. May have to try and collect some next year.

I'm making some cyser and heather mead at the moment.

 

[BigAshW]

I'm making some cyser and heather mead at the moment.

I'm about to start a batch of standard dry mead as we've finished ours off. I'm also going to do a demijohn of a winter spiced mead recipe I want to try.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I'm about to start a batch of standard dry mead as we've finished ours off. I'm also going to do a demijohn of a winter spiced mead recipe I want to try.

You using dark honey for your spiced mead.

 

[BigAshW]

You using dark honey for your spiced mead.

I don't know yet. I don't have any of my own honey to spare for mead this year so will have to buy some in.

 

[Curly green finger's]

I don't know yet. I don't have any of my own honey to spare for mead this year so will have to buy some in.

Local beek with any cappings going?

 

[ericbeaumont]

Local beek with any cappings going?

Tasted dark mead made from cappings honey that had been heated on a Pratley tray, so was probably over-heated. Best I've tried: flavour of a heavy Christmas sherry.