Vince Coppola wrote:
 
> Just look at
> the way we "judge" honey". A bunch of hicks stand around in coveralls
> and stare at jars of honey. If it is clear and the jar has no flaw, you
> win. Compare this to the way wine is judged. Its just another ag
> product, but by the time it gets to the consumer- magic.
 
That's right Vince, I think they ought to grab a handful of John/Jane Doe bystanders
and let them decide which honey they would judge as "best." Last year I sold a gallon of
my light summer honey to a lady that I thought was my best honey. This year when she
came back for a refill, she said she wanted honey that was "thicker." I tried to explain
to her that the honey I have this year isn't exactly the same tasting or consistency as
last years. So I offered her a choice. Light summer honey again or some that I had
mixed summer and fall and it definitely leaned to the stronger flavored fall honey. She
tasted the mixed honey and said that was what she wanted. I might add that the fall
honey was considerably thicker in consistency so I'm sure she was also happy to have
the "thicker" honey. Probably closer to what she had had in the past so in her mind
that's the way honey should be.
 
I think the saying, "the customer is always right" holds alot of truth too when it comes
to judging honey.
 
The condition of bees here are very similar to Jerry's report. Looked in the top on all
hives and saw healthy bee activity and little moisture. I did nothing different to the
hives to "winterize" them. I had one hive jump the gun a bit the other day when the sun
finally stayed out for most of the day and must have warmed them up just enough to
get them to fly out but there was still a snow cover and almost all the ones venturing
out hit the ground and within seconds couldn't make it back into flight and parished.
Only one hive did this.
 
-Barry
 
--
Barry Birkey
West Chicago, Illinois  USA
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http://www.birkey.com