For many years I could not solve the mystery why the honey from some of our
yards in the California Gold Country tasted of mint.
And it was only honey from yards near Nevada City.
Then I had the chance to taste basswood honey on a trip to the East.
Mystery solved!
It immediately became clear that the townspeople during the Gold Rush had
planted basswoods as shade trees.
Since then I've noticed the many cultivars, often side by side, each
blooming at different times.
I myself enjoy the flavor, as blackberry blooms at the same time here, and
we get a blend.

Also interesting to hear of all the different flowering trees in
Manhattan.  I hope that I didn't offend anyone with my joke about
*Saccharum.*
There was an incident fresh on my mind of a Northwest Coast beekeeper
selling a few jars of rare "winter honey" at a superpremium price. It was
water white.  The other local beekeepers told me that none of them had
ever observed nectar coming in at that time of year.  The jars sold.

-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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