Follow the Batch
Honey is the product of nectar gathered from thousands of flowers. And because of the way honeybees gather it, one specific flower type at a time, varietal honey can boast unique color, flavor and texture of that specific flower. For a true look into the flora of the land these bees call home, I harvest the honey in small batches to ensure distinct profiles come through in each jar. Check below to find your honeys unique pallette.
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Batch #1
Collected: 7/27/2024
Color: Water White
Likely Sourced from: American Linden
Other Sources: white clover, rose, black raspberry
Flavor Profile: slightly minty with a marshmallowy mouthfeel, Linden honey is a regional specialty
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Batch #2
Collected 8/8/2024
Color: Extra White
Likely Sourced from: last of the linden, white and red clover, raspberry, blackberry, St Johns wort
Flavor Profile: lending toward a more multifloral variety, this batch is sweeter, fruiter, yet has some mellow undertones
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Batch #3
Collected 8/19/2024
Color: Extra White
Likely Sourced from: yellow and white sweet clover, milkweed, St Johns wort
Other sources: echinacea, rattlesnake master,
Flavor Profile: perhaps the most quintessential 'honey' taste, well balanced, bright, sweet and soft, like melon and berries
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Batch #4
Collected 8/19/2024
Color: White
Likely Sourced from: components of #3: clovers, milkweed, echinacea
Other Sources: goldenrod, sunflower, thistle, purple loosetrife, coreopsis, coneflowers
Flavor Profile: harvested the same day as #3, this batch was three frames of honey far darker than its neighbors. Likely holding more of those fall flower notes, this small batch has a lovely bouquet which is a bit more earthy with a slight bitterness akin to leafy greens
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Batch #5
Collected 9/10/2024
Color: Extra Light Amber
Likely Sourced from: goldenrod and asters
Other sources: borage, white clover, birdsfoot trefoil, sunflower, coneflower, coreopsis
Flavor Profile: a heavier syrupy mouthfeel, this honey is fall in a jar. A muted woodsy taste mixed with dark fruit like cherry and blackberry
Land Stewards
This season, my bees are at home on the land of Jason Pederson and Kasey Grissom, originally Ho-Chunk land in the Driftless area of southwest Wisconsin. This is a beautiful stretch of hilly mixed woodlands and farm prairie. The forest is an assortment of deciduous trees, black walnut, black locust, maples and a lovely smattering of wild apples trees. The understory boasts wild berries, roses, grey dogwoods and elder trees. Each season I have the pleasure of discovering new wildflowers, from the early dandelions and clovers, to mid-season black cohosh, St Johns wort and bee balm, to the late goldenrods and asters with their final gifts. It has been a joy to watch the bees flourish in this place that is new to us this season.
More about Varietal Honey
In order to make specific varietal claims, honey must fall within a specific color grade, called the Pfund scale. While it can be a little subjective, this benchmark allows producers and consumers to accurately identify honey type by color
Are you interested in taking part?
I am expanding my apiaries for the 2025 season. If you are interested in being a land steward, and are in the greater Viroqua area, let’s connect!
Want to talk bees, honey or collaborate in another way? Please reach out!