Inside the 2026 leatherwood bloom
A rainy spring meant a slower flow — but the depth of flavour we've waited for.
Written by
Sarah, third-generation beekeeper
The Tarkine’s leatherwood trees don’t bloom on a schedule. They bloom when the rains come, when the bees are ready, when the soil decides it has had enough winter. This spring was late by three full weeks.
What we lost in volume, we gained in depth. The honey in this season’s combs is darker, more cedar-touched, with the long finish we taste in the very best harvests. Our laboratory partners at the University of Tasmania confirmed methylglyoxal levels are 14% above last year’s average.
The bees themselves seem to know. We watched colonies move into hives that had stood empty for two seasons, swarms forming in the late afternoon, the air around the apiary so thick with wings it sounded like rain.
This batch ships in small jars only — single-hive, single-week. When it’s gone, it’s a year until the next.
About the author
Sarah, third-generation beekeeper
Contributor
A storyteller from the family — sharing what we learn on the ridge, in the rainforest, and in the kitchen.
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