General Information
We have, in the TAIS office, a first edition of the Lone Star Apiarist Magazine from January, 1902. It is obvious in reading through this treasured history, that early Texas beekeepers were very proud of their Texas honey. E.Y. Terrall stated in 1902, “Educate our people in apiculture and Texas honey will flow from the Red River to the Rio Grande”.
Even prior to this journal, was the renowned huajilla honey from Uvalde, which received the first place at the 1900 Paris World Fair. A case of bulk comb honey was shipped from Uvalde in July, 1883, by Mr. D.M. Edwards. In 1900, the huajilla shrub gave Uvalde County 161,800 pounds.
There are an estimated 5,000 nectar-bearing wild plants native to Texas. Some are well known for honey, while others are lesser known. Some of the lesser known plants are great contributors to that jar that has the wonder label proclaiming proudly Texas Wildflower Honey
A lot of beekeepers may remember when all the ditches and roadsides were in bloom with wild vetch and sweet clover. Due to modern mechanized farming, a lot of this is gone. Finding a good bee pasture is a day of joy now.
What is your favorite Texas honey? Do you love the taste of citrus honey from the Rio Grande Valley? This is not the producer it used to be. Who remembers seeing below San Antonio, the beautiful fields of purple horsemint? What a great smell!
How many types of brush honey can you name? Try them all, huajillo, white brush, soapbush, mesquite. Did I miss one? It is good Texas honey. Cotton on the High Plains puts some good stuff in a jar, also. Northeast Texas has some good areas of White Dutch clover. Heading Southeast gives us a huge flow from Chinese Tallow, also early spring buildup comes from the sickening smell of privet bushes. Bee die offs will occur from that early beautiful yellow jasmine in the woods.
Also, remember fall bloom is needed as winter feed. Those tiny yellow flowers on broom weed are loved, as well as golden rod and asters in roadside ditches and creek bottoms.
Convince neighbors, friends and family, that our Texas honey is the best. Believe it!
