Welcome to Sunswick Farm!
Bee Report. As of July 21 the bees are doing well. We are on our 3rd extraction of the season. Looks like a good crop of Basswood Honey. Our first extractions were Acacia and Late Spring.
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We are a small farm located in the heart of the beautiful Finger Lakes region of New York state. We produce delicious honey from the diverse and abundant flora that surround this lush region.
Sunswick Farm honey is available for retail at select locations in a variety of sizes ranging from 4 oz to 12 pounds, cut comb and chunk honey. Depending on the amount we harvest we also have honey for wholesale by the pound (24 and 60 pound buckets), so be sure to check out all the varieties of honey we offer. We’re sure you’ll like it as much as we do.
In June 2019 we launched a GoFundme Campaign: Bee Part of the Honey Flow at Sunswick Farm in order to match a $50,000 NY State Grant we received to build a honey house (a building where we extract and bottle our honey, melt and process our bees wax). We matched the grant thanks to the incredible kindness of many folks interested in bees and supportive of Sunswick Farm. In late May 2020 we began construction and it was completed by the end of July. Covid influenced the arrival of building supplies so the project took longer than anticipated. We began extracting honey the 2nd week of August 2020.
The Honey House is a game changer in regards to efficiency. By centralizing our operations here on the farm we have gained full control of our processing and extra hours to work in the beeyards because we aren't renting another facility for processing. It's brilliant and we are most grateful to all who helped make it possible.
This year we processed all our honey without any heat...therefore it is guaranteed Raw Honey. It is also crystallized though very tiny crystals and while dense it is malleable. Using a slow warm water bath will soften it if you desire.
For photos of our construction project you may use this link https://photos.app.goo.gl/d1ogPnGeMcY5xmZA8 it will take you to a google photo album we have set up. Enjoy.
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We are a small farm located in the heart of the beautiful Finger Lakes region of New York state. We produce delicious honey from the diverse and abundant flora that surround this lush region.
Sunswick Farm honey is available for retail at select locations in a variety of sizes ranging from 4 oz to 12 pounds, cut comb and chunk honey. Depending on the amount we harvest we also have honey for wholesale by the pound (24 and 60 pound buckets), so be sure to check out all the varieties of honey we offer. We’re sure you’ll like it as much as we do.
In June 2019 we launched a GoFundme Campaign: Bee Part of the Honey Flow at Sunswick Farm in order to match a $50,000 NY State Grant we received to build a honey house (a building where we extract and bottle our honey, melt and process our bees wax). We matched the grant thanks to the incredible kindness of many folks interested in bees and supportive of Sunswick Farm. In late May 2020 we began construction and it was completed by the end of July. Covid influenced the arrival of building supplies so the project took longer than anticipated. We began extracting honey the 2nd week of August 2020.
The Honey House is a game changer in regards to efficiency. By centralizing our operations here on the farm we have gained full control of our processing and extra hours to work in the beeyards because we aren't renting another facility for processing. It's brilliant and we are most grateful to all who helped make it possible.
This year we processed all our honey without any heat...therefore it is guaranteed Raw Honey. It is also crystallized though very tiny crystals and while dense it is malleable. Using a slow warm water bath will soften it if you desire.
For photos of our construction project you may use this link https://photos.app.goo.gl/d1ogPnGeMcY5xmZA8 it will take you to a google photo album we have set up. Enjoy.
Potential Honey Varieties we harvest each year
We harvest our honey throughout the entire growing season (from late June through September) so that we can provide a rich diversity of honey flavors based on bloom time of the plants that our bees like best. The amount of honey we harvest in any particular variety is dependent on weather patterns and the health of our bees. We identify a particular honey variety by the hive location, the plants that are in flower at the time we harvest, the taste and color. Some of the varieties that are possible in any given year are listed below. We hope you enjoy sampling each one!
It was a good late Spring and early summer harvest and things slowed down for the bees in mid July through mid August. he Goldenrod is now in bloom and so is the Japanese knotweed. We are hoping for a good harvest of both.
It was a good late Spring and early summer harvest and things slowed down for the bees in mid July through mid August. he Goldenrod is now in bloom and so is the Japanese knotweed. We are hoping for a good harvest of both.
. Acacia
Acacia (Robinia pseudoacacia) is a mild, light-colored honey that tastes like the sweet, citrus-like blossoms of black locust trees lining rural roads in early Spring. Acacia is the first big honey flow in our region. Great for baking, think baklava. We did harvest Acacia this year. |
Apple Blossom
Apple blossoms make a lovely light honey. They bloom at the time of year when the beehives are just getting started, so the hives need to be near abundant apple trees to produce surplus honey. Our farm happens to have hundreds of field apple trees so most apple blossom honey is made right here at Sunswick Farm. While 2021 was a great year for Apple Blossom honey, 2022 was not. Our apple trees are wild and bloom every other year so look for apple blossom honey in 2023. |
Basswood
Basswood (Tilia spp.) is usually a big honey flow in the Finger Lakes region and occurs in mid to late June. As the lightest of our honey varieties, basswood has a unique flavor and works well for baking. |
Buckwheat
Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) honey is dark in color and famed for it's medicinal properties and distinct scent and flavor. People either love it or truly dislike it. Interestingly, the bees tend to be more aggressive when they are harvesting buckwheat nectar during the mid to late summer. Thanks to our farmers who plant buckwheat. |
.Clover
There are many varieties of clover (Trifolium spp.) and with the exception of red clover, the bees love them all. And as a beekeeper, I too love clover because it can bloom from late spring through the entire summer and makes a classic golden yellow honey. |
Japanese Knotweed
Japanese knotweed JK (Polygonum Cupidatum), the source of our darkest honey is in the buckwheat family and happens to be a serious invasive plant. The bees love this August bloomer and it makes a beautiful dark reddish colored honey. The plants have yet to bloom so we are still uncertain what this harvest may be. |
Raspberry
The delicious raspberry (Rubus) variety is a combination of red raspberry, black raspberry, and bramble type berry plants. The berries bloom in late May or early June and make excellent light honey. We have a small batch of fermenting raspberry. |
Star Thistle
Star Thistle (Centaurea spp.) is also known as Knapweed makes a beautiful light honey despite being another invasive to the Finger Lakes region. Star Thistle honey has a spicy taste, a bit like cinnamon. |
Our Wildflower honey's vary from year to year.
Wildflower honey is a mixture of mid to late summer flowers. Its exact properties vary depending on the location of the bee yard. This is a fun variety to sample because it changes each year! Last year we had a Spring Wildflower, a June Wildflower, a June/July (which has a bit of Basswood and a bit of Star Thistle). Also a wildflower we are calling Hive Wildflower because it tastes just like how the hive smells in the midst of summer harvest; you can taste the sweetness as well as the propolis and the wax, it's quite remarkable. Other Wildflowers we have harvested include June, Sept, Honeysuckle, and ?! which is to say we don't know what it is but it tastes great. It is also the only honey we have produced that has no after taste! |
About Us
Brooks Mullahy, Head Beekeeper, worked for 5 years with a Master Beekeeper in Moravia, New York. In 2016, Brooks purchased several bee yards and since than has been retailing honey under the Sunswick Farm label.
Brooks manages Sunswick Farm’s apiary with her sister Tracy. We currently manage up to 200 hives. Because of high fuel prices last year we have focused on reducing the number of bee yards we travel to and increased the number of hives in each yard. Our 13 bee yards have anywhere from 10 to 20 hives in one place, and our yards are located on private properties throughout Southern Cayuga, Western Cortland, and Southern Onondaga Counties. Here at Sunswick Farm, we are most grateful to all the landowners who host the beehives on their properties. It's great fun to travel through these beautiful counties to tend to each yard.
Brooks looks forward to sharing our harvest with all of you. Contact us anytime if you’d like to get more information, purchase honey, or just share your thoughts.
Brooks manages Sunswick Farm’s apiary with her sister Tracy. We currently manage up to 200 hives. Because of high fuel prices last year we have focused on reducing the number of bee yards we travel to and increased the number of hives in each yard. Our 13 bee yards have anywhere from 10 to 20 hives in one place, and our yards are located on private properties throughout Southern Cayuga, Western Cortland, and Southern Onondaga Counties. Here at Sunswick Farm, we are most grateful to all the landowners who host the beehives on their properties. It's great fun to travel through these beautiful counties to tend to each yard.
Brooks looks forward to sharing our harvest with all of you. Contact us anytime if you’d like to get more information, purchase honey, or just share your thoughts.
Find Our Honey or Ask us to SHIP IT!
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Kings Ferry Corner Store, Kings Ferry, NY
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You may come to Sunswick Farm to purchase honey
and walk our trails. Please call to set up a time. We have yet to set up an official shipping site though you can call, email or text and we will be happy to ship honey anywhere. Customer assumes shipping cost. |
Come see us at the Syracuse Regional Farmer's Market: OPEN ALL YEAR
We are in the C SHED Space 46.
We are at the Market (almost) every Saturday
We will do our best to post if we are not going to be at the market.
We will not be at the market Sat. May 27th but will return Sat. June 3rd.
If you really need honey feel free to call and make an appointment to come to the farm.
If you have a specific variety of honey you are looking for and want to ensure we have it at market
feel free to call or text me at the number listed below. If we have it we will bring it.
CONTACT INFORMATION: Brooks Mullahy, Sunswick Farm, 2562 Lyons Road, Moravia, New York 13118
EMAIL: brooks@sunswickfarm.com
Phone: 484-844-0056
VISIT US AT THE FARM
We have a lovely cedar cabin in the woods that we rent out. Being very busy with the bees we take bookings for the cabin and the camp site through HipCamp.com so if you are interested go to Hipcamp.com/Cedar cabin in the woods.
We are in the C SHED Space 46.
We are at the Market (almost) every Saturday
We will do our best to post if we are not going to be at the market.
We will not be at the market Sat. May 27th but will return Sat. June 3rd.
If you really need honey feel free to call and make an appointment to come to the farm.
If you have a specific variety of honey you are looking for and want to ensure we have it at market
feel free to call or text me at the number listed below. If we have it we will bring it.
CONTACT INFORMATION: Brooks Mullahy, Sunswick Farm, 2562 Lyons Road, Moravia, New York 13118
EMAIL: brooks@sunswickfarm.com
Phone: 484-844-0056
VISIT US AT THE FARM
We have a lovely cedar cabin in the woods that we rent out. Being very busy with the bees we take bookings for the cabin and the camp site through HipCamp.com so if you are interested go to Hipcamp.com/Cedar cabin in the woods.