We’ve been inviting people to taste this year’s spring and summer honey and tell us what they think.
“Fresh, light, and floral!”
“Silky smooth.”
“Gentle on the way down, without any harsh aftertaste.”
“Definitely citrus!”
“Iyo-kan!”
“Does it have a woody aroma?”
“Deep, with a slightly richer flavor.”
“Dynamic, with a real depth of flavor.”
“I can detect a hint of salt.”
“Quite different from last year’s.”
And so on.
People are discovering flavors that go far beyond what our own palates can pick up.
Quite a few people begin by saying, “I’ve never tasted anything like this before.”
But since we pretty much eat only our own honey, we’re never quite sure how to respond!
Honestly, it’s one of the great rewards of being beekeepers.
Some people adore spring honey.
Others are devoted to summer honey.
But I suspect autumn honey tends to be a little less popular. (There are all sorts of reasons.)
Even so, for the bees, it’s an essential reserve for getting through the winter.
On a beautiful autumn day, the bees are working single-mindedly to prepare for winter.
Whether hornets show up or we open their hives to take a look, they seem to be saying:
“Oh, we’re terribly busy!”
And they completely ignore us.
Perhaps the reason they aren’t rushing out in a furious swarm is that the colonies are settled and not struggling with mites or disease.
Everyone is focused on the work at hand.
During today’s hive inspections, almost all the colonies were raising the next generation of worker bees in good numbers.
They were steadily building up their stores of nectar and pollen, too.
This is what will become the bees’ “autumn honey”—their provisions for the winter ahead.
All the queens seem to be doing well, too.
“Perhaps I won’t see you again until spring?”
The thought leaves me feeling a little reluctant to say goodbye.
I’m looking forward to the honey we may be able to share with you next year, from the colonies that make it safely through the winter.
And I can’t wait to discover what new surprises the bees have in store for us next.