Living Locally
by Landa Townsend

Apis mellifera and Botany

Right now my honeybees (Apis mellifera) are just starting to get into the goldenrod (Solidago). The late summer bloom of goldenrod and aster signals the end of honey season in Vermont. This will be the final honey flow for the year and is typically the biggest flow for Vermont honeybees. Dining al fresco will not happen again in Vermont for at least six months, so the queen and her staff are working extra hard right now to bring in the 60 to 90 pounds of honey they will need for the winter pantry.
Everyone who likes to eat fresh local honey knows about Vermont Alsike clover (Trifolium hybridum) honey, the predominant flow for most beekeepers during the months of June and early July. Ironically, the nectar of our state flower, Red clover (Trifolium pratense), is not available to honeybees because their tongues are too short.
However, here in Charlotte there is a wide variety of flora for the honeybees to collect nectar from, and each one comes with its own unique color, taste and nutritional value. As a small-time beekeeper and owner of Yili & Baby Bear Apiary, I like to process seasonal batches of varietal honey. This not a difficult thing to do, but it does require a short list:
First, you need to find some time to wander and watch your bees. This activity comes naturally to me, and I enjoy letting the honeybees show me what is happening in our world. I have a young child who likes to wander, so we just open our eyes and watch which flowers the bees are visiting.
Second, you need to have some good wildflower and tree field guides. I like to use Peterson Field Guides, Wildflowers Northeastern North America, and UVM Extension’s Landscape Plants for Vermont because they have great drawings and accurate descriptions. A botany lens also helps with the plant identification and is easy to carry out in the field around your neck on a leather string.
Third, you need to find an “old timer” who can help you identify the taste and color difference between, say, Basswood and Japanese knotweed honey. If you have trouble finding a knowledgeable beekeeper to mentor and teach you the joys of varietal honey making, you can get by on your own, but you will miss out on a lot of excellent beekeeping stories.
If beekeeping is not your thing, but eating fresh local honey is, you can become a connoisseur by talking to the beekeepers, you meet at the local farmers markets. Most experienced beekeepers are happy to answer your questions. Ask questions like, “Where are your beehives located?” “When was this honey extracted?” “Do you pollinate crops?” and “Which crops do you pollinate?” It will take a lot of taste tests, but you will eventually find the perfect honey that’s just right for you. When you become a honey connoisseur you can always ask your local beekeeper “Got any fresh, Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) honey today”?
Charlotte Sustainable Living Network Events

September 25, 6 - 8 p.m. at the Charlotte Senior Center. Local foods potluck and presentation on Ruah Swennerfelt and Louis Cox’s upcoming “Peace for Earth Walk.” All are welcome! For more information contact Ruah Swennerfelt at ruah@peaceforearth.org.

October 16, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. Community Sustainability Fair at the Charlotte Senior Center. All are welcome! CSWD is organizing a fabulous event to showcase lots of organizations and information on how to live sustainably. For more information contact Marge Keough at mkeough@cswd.net or 872-8111, or Ron Miller at holistic@gmavt.net.