By Rachel Kester
What does a forest taste like? Or perhaps a bustling city or lush meadow? Savoring a landscape’s flavor might seem impossible, but don’t tell honey that.
Ranging from hardwood forests in the west to agricultural fields near the coast, Virginia’s diverse environment makes for a very tasty adventure that beekeepers seek to capture.
Kristine Smith, owner of Stone Horse Apiaries & Apothecary, is one. Situated in Franklin on the southwest outskirts of Hampton Roads, Smith is surrounded by bountiful acres of cotton fields whose light golden nectar she eagerly seeks. “I happen to live in an area with a lot of cotton blooms during a period of time when many things aren’t blooming,” she says. The season begins in early July lasting until August or early September, with honeybees carefully gathering nectar from cotton flowers and leaves. The product of the bees’ months of hard work? Prized honey with a distinct taste. “It’s very sweet with a citrusy tang,” Smith says.
Depending on the weather though, cotton honey can be an infrequent treat. Rain is a particular nemesis, as it deters bees from flying out and often washes away necessary pollen and nectar. In 2024, Smith didn’t harvest any cotton honey, thanks to Mother Nature’s excessive downpours during prime blooming time, leaving behind only what was necessary for the bees to survive the winter. In 2023, she was able to harvest about 500 pounds.
“Cotton is a great honey that can be universally utilized,” Smith says. “Baking, tea—all kinds of applications without influencing flavor too deeply one way or another.”
In the Piedmont region toward the mountains, dense woodlands abound, where spicy, butterscotchy sourwood; fruity, vanilla black locust; and sharp, floral tulip poplar nectar are often collected. Edgewood Apiaries & Farm in Bremo Bluff specializes in the latter.
“I would describe the flavor profile as robust with floral notes and hints of fig with a delectable butter caramel finish,” says Amanda Sweeney, owner and beekeeper.
Bees of about 100 colonies venture through the 112-acre forested farm in late spring in search of the poplar’s blooms, with their hard work usually harvested in late May to mid-June. Last year, Sweeney collected 1,600 pounds of the dark, reddish amber honey.
“It is wonderful to enjoy on its own. I like to pair it with aged gouda cheese and dates on a charcuterie board; we will often use it in salad dressings and meat marinades,” says Sweeney. “Its flavor profile makes it a lovely honey to enjoy with most any tea and coffee.”
In Northern Virginia, wildflower and clover (two of the most captured Virginia nectars) are heavily sought-after by many, including beekeeper Scott Rutt of Loudoun Honey.
“Our operation, in particular, is unique in that we operate a dozen different apiaries across western Loudoun County—from Lovettsville almost down to Middleburg,” Rutt says. “That gives us the ability to blend all of our different honeys together for truly unique flavors our customers love and can’t find anywhere else.”
The business focuses on wildflower honey, but don’t let its name fool you. “The term ‘wildflower’ is a bit of a misnomer because in Virginia most of our spring flowers come from trees,” says Rutt. “Not the wildflowers you’d typically think of, like clover, dandelions, and goldenrod later in the year.”
The honey is harvested around three times a year—each batch distinct. “Honey colors and flavors change pretty dramatically with the seasons, with spring honey being lighter in color and sweeter in flavor, getting darker with a more complex flavor as the summer progresses,” says Rutt.
In Virginia, honey is more than a mere sweetener. It’s delicious artwork, lovingly produced by honeybees and their keepers—preserving the essence of a specific time and destination in each jar.
This article originally appeared in the April 2025 issue.
