Blending Honey

[RHBee]

My bees gathered from 4 different areas so I have 4 different colors and tastes. Does anyone blend their harvest prior to selling? If so what method do you use?

[edward]

Pour it all into one big container and stir.

But if you keep them separate 1 customer might buy 2 or more jars to have a different honey to choose from and compair the different tastes, then you might sell more honey.


mvh Edward  :-P

[Brian D. Bray]

Different colors as well as different plant sources can be marketed as specialty honeys.  Specialty honeys can be sold for as much as $20.00 per pound if it has a demand like Fireweed or Tupelo.
Last year, my brother got a 5 gallons of red colored honey from hives near a red potato patch (20 acres) that had a slight musty smell and had the hint of potato taste in it, it was not real sweet.  He also got about the same amount of blackberry honey (light amber) from hives at a different location. 
He sold both as specialty honey ($12.00 or more per pound) and sold all of both honeys.  Some people bought a jar of each type, some liked the potato honey and others didn't but everybody liked the blackberry honey..

[sc-bee]

If you can tell that big a difference I would not mix it. However, technically in the state of SC most honey is termed wildflower. All sources bloom relatively during the same period or several sources are blooming at once. The only other bloom I am aware of you can isolate in SC is sourwood, in the foothills, when it makes. It is very hit and miss.

There was a lady that had some bees set on a small patch of strawberries, acre or maybe a little more, along a roadside stand here a few years ago. She bragged about how great her strawberry honey was and how fast it sold. Just pure advertising BUNK.

[Michael Bush]

I take the time to sort it and try NOT to blend it.  The separate flavors are much more interesting, IMO, and it attracts attention at a farmers market when you have different colored honey.  People will ask why it's different and you get to educate people and give samples.  Sometimes they buy all three colors...

[RHBee]

First thanks for the advice and responses. On 3 of them the colour difference is slight but noticeable the 4Th is distinct. The tastes are all unique. I'll sell them separately. It's only a little more work.
I bought a 100kg capacity stainless steel bottling tank. Looks like it will be used next year. I'll use the dipper method of bottling this time.

Again thanks to all.
Ray