Honey, where have you been?

Lapp Solar

Herkimer County, New York · 2026 season

Here.

Herkimer County, New York: the bees' home this season

In the quiet hills of Manheim, New York, where wide hayfields meet rolling countryside, the Lapp Solar site has become a unique home for both clean energy and thriving pollinators, bees. This solar farm does more than generate renewable electricity—it is built with wide rows of solar which allows farmers to harvest hay from both around and beneath the panels in the field, keeping this productive farm operational while utilizing renewable power.

One season, visit by visit.

Every time someone walked the land, they wrote down what was blooming.

Bees on this land since July 2025.

[PLACEHOLDER: this site's visits come in from the beekeepers' records]
collected
Honey harvested
[PLACEHOLDER: 2026 harvest date not in the beekeepers' records yet]
About 74 lb [VERIFY: estimate, Joe to confirm]

[VERIFY: species to be checked by a botanist]

What the bees were working.

Main forage: Mixed Clover and Goldenrod

The landscape surrounding the Mannheim apiary includes mixed agricultural and semi-natural habitats. Dominant forage comes from white and red clover fields managed for hay, interspersed with patches of goldenrod, asters, and native meadow plants. These floral communities provide rich, sustained nectar flows throughout the summer and early fall. Basswood from the nearby forests contributed to a complex honey.

Summer Wildflower honey.

Mannheim honey captures the essence of New York’s pastoral farmlands—smooth and delicately sweet, with notes of wildflower cream and a gentle hint of spice from late-season goldenrod. Its color ranges from light amber to golden, and the texture is silky, making it ideal for teas, breads, and drizzling over cheeses or fruit.

Tasting notes