More On Our 2023 Sourwood Honey Crop

More info on how our sourwood honey production is going this year.

[@jasonhughes3568]

Bob, I love that you are spending a lot of time with your videos about sourwood. We have full bloom here in Mountain City, Tennessee. I’m still trying to hone my skills. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and experiences with us. I also love that you talk about the nectar sources and help us learn our southern Appalachian plants, shrubs and trees! Thank you again!

[@bobbinnie9872]

Thanks. I hope to make a video soon with a good friend of mine that is an expert at local and regional plants.

[@jasonhughes3568]

Looking forward to that!

[@steliandone4078]

Wait wait.Let me test it. Noooooo. You close the hive? Noooo. I enjoy the splendor of the region and when the honey flow is present…. even better. Bless you Bob and your workers. I hope some day I will be able to visit you and see your beautiful and sweet place.

[@mattzirkle2769]

SW Washington, Columbia River Gorge beekeeper here. I was one of the flood of Sourwood orders you got last week. Very good honey, I'm sure it's amazing right out of the comb. Sorry to hear you're getting a lot of "Sourwood-ish" honey. Maybe have fun with it. Label a limited edition 2023 varietal called "Sourwood-ish"😉🤣😅😆

[@jtlearn1]

I can relate to the post-harvest melancholy, Bob. Happens with my garden too. Sometimes at weddings! 😅

[@todddowell2483]

Morning Bob! I have enjoyed the Sourwood I got from you this spring! Thanks for your videos.

[@bobbinnie9872]

Thanks.

[@danielweston9188]

This comment isn't for Bob but to all those who watch his videos. I have interviewed (for research) many Ranchers, Farmers and Harvesters. In those hundreds of process reviews only a few really had a tight understanding of what they were doing. I have not interviewed Bob but follow him in many platforms. Bob isn't just a keeper of Bees but a Beekeeper in the best traditions of Beekeeping. When you listen to Bob listen to not only what he is doing but also “see” the details he has of his process. He understands his animals, his resources (forage & equipment) and has the historical understanding of what he needs to be paying attention to. Bring that detail of understanding sooner than later to your operation.

[@chuckgross6024]

Thanks for sharing another great video!

[@577bluegrass]

Beautiful bee yards ! Hope to get to Clayton to get some of that sour wood 🍯 Always enjoy the videos Thank you

[@billc3405]

Man of great integrity

[@kevinogden4363]

Year before last had a bumper crop of clover, it stayed in bloom a long time. Last year had a drought, this year had a small drought but doing pretty well considering. Been a weird for a lot of beekeepers.

[@danbrewer]

Sorry your harvest is not what you hoped, we have had a poor season here in the UK after a fantastic start, it seemed it could be a record breaker but it’s faded away. Bring on next spring. “Ride the wave” All the best.

[@bizzdavid]

Up here on the Cumberland Plateau at 2000 feet. Ive only seen a few sour wood trees around my area and those are now done for the year. I still have a lot of sumac, mimosa, mountain mint, and wild flowers blooming like crazy. It has been an interesting year.

[@brucejarrell5707]

Outstanding boys

[@timHclem]

Thanks for the video! And no, you’re not wearing out the sourwood videos.

[@lenturtle7954]

The rancher whose pasture i have bees on just got back from Austrailia with a sample of blackbutt Honey . Its an Eucalyptus $22.00 AU a pound its kinda alright when you first taste it but the aftertaste is amazing . Its not bad on peanut butter sandwitches 😂 with milk but great from the jar by the spoonfull .

[@bobbinnie9872]

I it's good with peanut butter it's good with me.

[@petermorrow3931]

Aloha Bob. Thank you for all the great videos and sharing your knowledge. I truly appreciate it. Earlier in the video you said something about if there weren’t bees in the super you needed to check a little deeper on it. What do you do if that problem comes about. Do you requeen or split the lower brood box? Thanks in advance for the advice and knowledge. Aloha. Pete

[@bobbinnie9872]

Hi Pete. If it's queenless it's probably been that way a while and we'll just pull it out. If the queen is poor we mark it for requeening later because we don't want to take the time to deal with it now..

[@petermorrow3931]

@@bobbinnie9872 thank you so much for the info and time. Have a wonderful harvest and summer. Aloha. Pete

[@lenturtle7954]

Well i moved 4 hives 2 miles to some later blooming canola its all done blooming near my tiny bee yard and there are 2 large bee yards competing for whats left 😢 So in essence i saved 40 thousand miles of flying per lb of honey . Ill move the other 6 hives to a friends farm 🚜 to get in on 160 acres of buckwheat thats been blooming for a week . I think ill make total about 150 lbs of canola and i have no idea on buckwheat . Not bad for one hive and 2 swarms the rest are splits from the hive and they will eat everything they collected

[@lenturtle7954]

Im thinking if you dig out a microscope and check the pollen you could sell the diluted sourwood as a blend Say clover and sourwood or whatever you find .

[@ronhaymore]

When the bees are making sourwood what does the moisture get to in that short period of time. Do the bees have time to dry it enough?

[@bobbinnie9872]

It generally comes in below 18% in that time.

[@reindeersbees]

My bees in Maine are working the daisy fleabane hard right now.

[@jordanebling2138]

I look forward to your insight on every video. Best bee videos on KZbin bob! Ill be making a trip to the shop this fall to stock up on your honey and buy some equipment.

[@bobbinnie9872]

Ask if I'm there. I'd be pleased to meet you.

[@mikewebb5247]

When running 2 deep orientation when you pull the supers off do you run the “2deep” set up thru the winter ?

[@bobbinnie9872]

Generally yes.

[@barkersbees]

Why do some hives have bricks on them and some dont? Do you use the bricks just as weights for wind or for records?

[@bobbinnie9872]

If a lid is already sticky with wax or propolis it doesn't need a brick in warm weather. You'll see a lot more bricks on our colonies in winter because in cold weather they won't stick back if popped loose.

[@drxyz710]

Hey bob what is the solar panel for thanks

[@bobbinnie9872]

Electric bear fences. We have to have them on most of our yards.

[@wadeturner2665]

Does anyone else cringe from stabbing fresh white super comb with a hive tool?

[@crazypeoplearoundtheworld304]

If you call being envious cringing.

[@bobbinnie9872]

It's the only way.😇

[@BucketListBees]

Great way to have Sunday morning coffee. Beautiful country side, weather cooperating, and the bounty filling the boxes,,, ah the joys of life…

[@nancynolton6079]

You musta wore Seth out that day if he was speechless!

[@aCanadianBeekeepersBlog]

RedBull LOL

[@bobbinnie9872]

Breakfast of champions.

[@framcesmoore]

U can say this u are a very honest man and that is the reason every body just loves you. The video was great just like always. I am sorry about the sourwood I hope u misjudged it and get a lot more then u thought u would. Bob God Bless you and your business.

[@bobbinnie9872]

Thanks Frances.

[@dianetaylor6751]

Pretty country! I swear we are running 3 wks late in the season here in NW Ind. Spring swarm season was a month late. Still splitting like crazy. We just roll with the punches. Adapt.... or perish ...

[@carloscrenz9433]

👍👏👏👏👏👏👏💪🇦🇷💪

[@mikefrench3800]

Good luck with the sourwood. Y'all sure have worked hard for it!

[@brianlivingston21]

How far do you travel to visit your yards?

[@bobbinnie9872]

The farthest ones are 30 minutes north or 25 minutes south.

[@timlewis9873]

I do not listen to anyone, who knows any more about honey, than you do. Thank you for your vids.

[@susanwehe8270]

Very true

[@dadu63]

Extracted our blackberry and poplar honey. Empty supers on for some clover honey now in cleveland county, NC. Wished we had sourwood trees here. May have to come to blue ridge to buy some from yall. And your clover also. Dang it's good. Thanks for sharing my good friend.

[@lenturtle7954]

Sourwood is zone 5-9 i guess i cant plant any here in 2-3 Well at least we can do basswood !!

[@caven930]

That is quite funny that you mentioned that about the sourwood video because I have to be honest, I did order my first bottle of sourwood honey from you because of that video, lol. It's delicious! I don't have an ample palate on honey but I can say this was our first year making a honey crop and it's definitely better than our wildflower honey. I will be ordering in the future!

[@dontannery1805]

Hi, Bob, always look forward to your videos. I'm hoping to go to your store someday and get some sour wood. Use to deliver bread to Cornelia and Clayton, GA 5 days a week. Raise the bees in Arizona. Happy beekeeper

[@robinkennedy9974]

Have hives next to 5+ acres which gets covered in erigeron each year. Bees ignore it completely. Dont know what pollenates it. Just seems to sit there. Keep the videos coming Bob. Always learn something at BBU.

[@lenturtle7954]

The clover should be nice honey 🍯 We used to pollenate red and sweet clover for huge crops the bees increase the yield because its polinated early and has time to develope into good seed . Theres not much grown here anymore its mostly in ditches and pastures or river bottoms They will work alfalfa if everything else is done .they dont like to becase when first opened flower trips and hits them in the face after a good wind its easier for them to work the old farmers used to drag a rope between two horses to trip the alfalfa so the bees would work it sooner . At least so im told 🤷 Its very nice honey 🍯

[@Chard-Bees]

Thanks for the update on the flow. Hope those last five days really pack it in for you!

[@dcsblessedbees]

I think that is the first time I have seen your house, looks like you and your family have a wonderful home.

[@bobbinnie9872]

We have a great place and you're right I haven't shown it much.

[@tonyjenkins272]

Beautiful work Bob ! 💯

[@geffivey6414]

Hi Bob, your comment on the "ups and downs" beekeeping was very helpful to me. I'm a small hobby beekeeper with about 20 colonies in Tennessee. 2023 was a odd, bad weather year for us. The bees produced significantly less than they have in prior years. When you have good years, it's easy to forget how weather dependent beekeeping is and start expecting every year to be a good one. Your comment, coming from a large scale beekeeper, helped me keep that in perspective.

[@bobbinnie9872]

Thanks. I think we need to look at things from a ten year average.

[@toprakanaciftligi8037]

👏👏👏

[@scottreese5492]

I'm assuming the deeps you put on top are comb frames? Are yall putting any foundations on? Or is it too hot, I haven't seen mine building comb in a month. I still have some starter strip frames in a few, I have buckwheat and sunflower doing very well, any ideas on building comb right now?

[@bobbinnie9872]

All deeps being put on were drawn out. As far as drawing foundation out it really depends on your local honey flow. It's not to late if the flow is good enough.

[@harringtonkyle2]

Hey Bob, thank you for the inspiration across your videos. Question, are these yards locations folks have given you permission to place your hives? Thank you.

[@bobbinnie9872]

Yes. We usually give them a case or two of honey for yard rent.

[@raadali4263]

Hi , question please, l have put ten frames of cut comb foundation at mid of June,since then bees don’t build up yet, advise please and which month is good to produce cut comb honey! Thank you

[@bobbinnie9872]

It depends on the location. In our area late April works well.

[@3Beehivesto300]

How many supers does it take to make 90 barrels of sour wood honey?

[@bobbinnie9872]

1600 mediums if they are full. Of course they're never all completely full.

[@jarethgroves8194]

Bob, How many bee escapes do you have in your operation?

[@bobbinnie9872]

Around 320.

[@ponolovefarms3926]

“That’s pretty aight!” Ohh I miss y’all Georgia folks

[@rogermontague5398]

Great videos!

[@bobbinnie9872]

Thanks!

[@سالمابوغالب]

استاذ بوب اتمنى لك التوفيق الاطرات ممتلاه بالشمع سو تحصد العسل الكثير من المرعى موفق

[@brettellis1837]

What about whipped honey do you do that the 2tone honey whipped here is OK in sales good turn over.

[@bobbinnie9872]

Although tempting we've not taken that on. We buy it from others to sell in our store.

[@brettellis1837]

@@bobbinnie9872 cheers Bob be good to have 2million hectare square block of trees need to plant more.

[@NATURALBEEKEEPERSCOLLECTIVE]

That is another awesome video Bob Watched this from work and only just logged in to comment on lunch breaks . Do you know how many years theu take to flower from seeds, We have put some new seeds in an they are at an elevation of 900ft Not sure how many will grow. But hoping to get get at least 200, A family member has one that is 26 years old. It seems to flower best in 5-6 year cycles where we get bumber years with extra masses of flowers. Not sure if you notice this your side of the pond. Sourwood is super tree.

[@bobbinnie9872]

In our area small five year old trees may begin blooming. I have a bank above my house with at least 100 new trees around that age and a few bloomed this year.

[@NATURALBEEKEEPERSCOLLECTIVE]

@@bobbinnie9872 Thnaks so much for info. I checked on google a while ago and so many different answers so its great to get an answer from someone who has experience with these trees.

[@bobbinnie9872]

@@NATURALBEEKEEPERSCOLLECTIVE I'm thinking of showing the bank mentioned in a video. A lot of people are curious about Sourwood trees and it would probably be good to talk more about growing them.

[@RikhuRamai]

Does the bees went up those high mountains to bring in sector? Is there any difficulty for bees going up hills? Should bees be kept on high mountain#?

[@bobbinnie9872]

They will go up the hill to get nectar.

[@RikhuRamai]

@@bobbinnie9872 So hopefully if we keep the bees in low alevation they wont hav any problem going up hills and bringing down hills?

[@bobbinnie9872]

Yes, correct.@@RikhuRamai

[@TennesseeTim38451]

Hey Bob. Just catching up on your season and I have a question for you. I have heard you mention different books like fat bees skinny bees and the story of you reading Walter t Kelley’s book and knew you was going to be a beekeeper. I’d like to give you an idea that perhaps you haven’t thought of. Everyone in the beekeeping community knows who you are, you have 52,000 subscribers all following you for your beekeeping knowledge. Would you consider making a whole series of videos that you read the book and the video shows the illustrations from the books. An audio book copy of all your favorite books. It’ll give you an excuse to read them again and read it out Loud for all the community to enjoy. You have done an amazing job training me all the way over here. Just thought it would be great for guys traveling to put a podcast on and listen to you. Thanks Bob.

[@bobbinnie9872]

Interesting idea but I believe I would have to be retired to have time.

[@Dougarrowhead]

do you like goldenrod honey? do people ask for it?

[@bobbinnie9872]

We rarely get a request for it. We once had it among our array of tasting samples and it wasn't a great seller.

[@sunduck1]

Hi Bob, I'm in Ellijay GA. Dutch white clover everywhere all in my fields still blooming. What do you think about Honey quality and taste that is primarily White clover? And will this massive and late white clover bloom delay the Dearth? So much clover they are not touching the sourwood trees on my property.

[@bobbinnie9872]

I think Dutch White is great honey. I'd put it on my peanut butter sandwich. Could help a lot.

[@paulgroth5414]

Hi Bob, you mentioned the clover flow...I am in Michigan and we still have tall yellow sweet clover which usually blooms early June and gone by July typically, tall white sweet clover is really cranking up the nectar, Dutch clover is still flowering...Hopefully you guys get some full supers!

[@bobbinnie9872]

Thanks. Glad to hear a success story. I have friends in Michigan that I buy honey from and they say they're having an outstanding year.

[@donbearden1953]

Bob, your sourwood videos are always very interesting! I would love to purchase a bottle of your fresh sourwood. It’s been 2 or 3 years since I’ve bought any of your sourwood. Maybe I should ride over there one day and bring your wife some Tulip Popular honey and maybe she would make sure I got 2023 sourwood. lol

[@bobbinnie9872]

Sounds like a plan. let me know when you're coming and we'll have lunch or something.

[@drliptak1]

Enjoyed following this. The sourwood tree prefer elevation (?). Is there a sweet spot for this? During extraction to preserve its integrity, do you employ any special procedures? Hope to see you at EAS

[@bobbinnie9872]

Hi Tim. Let's plan on dinner one night. The very best elevations for Sourwood are 1800 to 2200 but good crops can be had down to 1400 and up to 3000. Probably won't work in Charleston. 😊

[@philhofland5501]

The comment about queens not mating well with drones from their own yards @ 9 plus minute mark is a quaint one IMO. We drag over 300 drone colonies into our main queen yard each spring and don't think we have that issue all. Think its number game primarily.

[@bobbinnie9872]

Generally, queens tend to out distance the drones from their own yard on mating flights but I'm sure large numbers like that increases the odds of success.

[@NevadaBeeMan-nq3po]

As always Bob thanks for your posts You have mentioned in a previous video that you have changed up your fall treatment for mites can you please Make a clip On how and what you do for fall treatments… this is my first year to treat my bees I got 80 hives and I just want to make sure I do it right !! Thank you sir !!

[@bobbinnie9872]

We'll be showing what we do soon. It's basically Apiguard in August and oxalic vaporization in winter.

[@deecull8750]

Great video again Bob Never miss your videos i really enjoy them ..Best of luck with your sourwood crop

[@bobbinnie9872]

Thanks 👍

[@beeguy]

I'm from ND and I love using escape boards to clear bees. I have a few friends from the south who say they can't because of hive beatles. How do you manage to not have a problem with beatles?

[@bobbinnie9872]

You can't leave them on too long. I'm sure they are more trouble in south Georgia.

[@beebob1279]

Question: Is the wax from Sourwood lighter than your spring time wildflower?

[@bobbinnie9872]

I haven't noticed a difference.

[@hootervillehoneybees8664]

Really enjoyed your sourwood video.. id like to try grafting sourwood onto other trees here in Michigan see if they work it .. plan on grafting some tulip poplar found big tree the other day.. its rare to find a tulip poplar... If I graft they bloom right away like my cheststnut grafted trees

[@bobbinnie9872]

Good luck. I would be curious to know if that works.

[@hootervillehoneybees8664]

@@bobbinnie9872 I'll be sure to keep you updated on it . Trying some chestnut onto oak trees grafting as well.. Appalachia has very interesting history with chestnut and salted pork barrels . They say most expensive pork comes from spain fed on chestnut.. 25% of the trees in the Appalachia used to be chestnut. I think chestnut is the next almond

[@nszucs1]

Bob could you do a video on your frame spacers and why you go with 8 rather than 9? What brand of frame spacer do you prefer?

[@bobbinnie9872]

We buy our frame spacers from both Dadant and Mann Lake. We like 8 frame because it works best with our semi automated uncapper (fatter combs) plus you get more weight in each box (more efficient). The main problem with frames spaced that way is that they need to be drawn out first or the bees will burr comb them badly. 9 frame spacing with new foundation isn't as bad to get sideways burr comb but it can still do it some.

[@robinkennedy9974]

Hey Bob, have you considered going to higher elevations to chase / extend the sourwood bloom?

[@bobbinnie9872]

I have done that in the past and may do it again.

[@beemetricsorg]

I am thinking real estate in Wolffork Valley just increased.

[@bobbinnie9872]

It's already high!

[@randywashburn377]

I got question bob when add the next super on for you put it on top or under the one that is on all ready

[@bobbinnie9872]

We usually top super unless it's swarming season.

[@jesseholshouser7445]

Bob did you ever know a beekeeper by the name of Jake Fox?

[@bobbinnie9872]

I don't believe so.

[@zoranvidakovic7875]

Hi Bob, Nice videos you make whit understandable and useful season management.. Tnx for it..! Does that queen excluders don’t make congestion between lower and upper brood nest ( honey frame’s ) in honey flow..!? All the best from Serbia, Zoran 🙋🏼‍♂️

[@bobbinnie9872]

Once a good honey flow has started the bees seem to go through them OK. You might like our video "A Problem With Single Story Bee Colonies". kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6TbfmeeqdZnftk

[@zoranvidakovic7875]

@@bobbinnie9872 Tnx a lot Bob 🙋🏼‍♂️🙂🙂

[@R_Brickner]

Love those 8 frames supers for super fat frames.

[@bobbinnie9872]

Hi Richard. It definitely helps with uncapping.

[@Peekul1]

Great video! Lots of risk, work, and reward.

[@bobbinnie9872]

Well said.

[@_J.F_]

Always so interesting to watch your videos, and goodness it is a very beautiful area of the world you call home. I understand the idea of putting fresh supers on to store the Sourwood honey. My question is what happens to those partly full supers you take off the hives? Do they go back on after the Sourwood has finished, or do you simply extract it as is? Thanks for all the great videos 👍

[@bobbinnie9872]

We extract the partial supers we take off after staging them in our warm drying room for a few days.

[@_J.F_]

@@bobbinnie9872 Thanks. I thought maybe they went back on to collect any late nectar flow, and to get capped etc., but I have seen your drying room in a video and can see that it is more efficient doing it that way.

[@jodygucwa8892]

Hope you get a good sourwood crop. Tell Branden,John,Jesse and Molly Jody said Hi. Had a great time working with them.

[@bobbinnie9872]

Thanks, I'll relay the message. Your tee shirt will be coming up in a future video.

[@jodygucwa8892]

@@bobbinnie9872LoL can't wait to see it. I used the probiotics on are hives. The Queens I got from you are doing great. All but one are in double deeps. I will be grafting from at least two of them in the spring. God Bless

[@CooperBees]

I’m wondering what kind of escape boards y’all use and how long you leave them on. Love the vids Bob. Learn so much.

[@bobbinnie9872]

They're triangle bee escapes. They can be found in many of the main beekeeping supply catalogs and we sell them in our store also. Minimum two days or a day per medium super usually does it. An extra day doesn't hurt.

[@CooperBees]

@@bobbinnie9872 thank you!!!!

[@graemediesel2936]

Have you considered labelling the sourwoodish honey as sourwood blend? Or is it not distinctive enough to be worth the effort of keeping separate?

[@bobbinnie9872]

We have at times, especially if there isn't any honey we can label as Sourwood. We label it Sourwood/Wildflower.

[@Drewjober]

That’s a good idea and I admire your honesty so much. I’m going to order some, last years of fine. my family likes to try different honeys and yer supers look so clean like mine, no old brood patterns

[@mikeconley3031]

Beautiful places

[@bobbinnie9872]

We feel lucky to live here.

[@robertdemers5125]

Good Morning Bob !

[@bobbinnie9872]

Good morning sir.

[@jeffahrens6246]

Bob, I have a question for you. What is the best way to draw out new honey supers? Which one of your videos would you suggest that I watch? Thanks for your time, I appreciate all your information that you share.

[@bobbinnie9872]

I don't think I've addressed that directly in any of our videos. We drew out some this year on singles combined with drawn comb. A box full of foundation alone, over a queen excluder, generally doesn't work as well.

[@lenturtle7954]

Ive had luck placing it between capped brood they seem to draw it out fast if its in the broodnest .

[@jeffahrens6246]

@@bobbinnie9872 Thanks Bob, I'll have to try again next year. Is early spring the best time to do this?

[@bobbinnie9872]

@@jeffahrens6246 Once the main honey flow starts is best. If you put plastic foundation on too soon the bees can strip off the beeswax coating which results in more burr combing once the real flows starts.

[@scrotiemcboogerballs1981]

Thanks for sharing