Do we have any? I am interested...
https://daily.jstor.org/rise-city-bee-urbanites-built-21st-century-apiculture/
QuoteThe Rise of the City Bee—How Urbanites Built the 21st-Century Apiculture
By: Claire Cameron November 7, 2017 8 minutes
When Noah Wilson-Rich, a Tufts University graduate student studying honeybees' immune systems, ran out of funding in 2009, he set up a lab in his apartment in Boston's South End. His equipment included ice from his refrigerator to sedate the bees, containers to catch them in, and fishing line and forceps to hold them in place. To his surprise, his landlord didn't kick him out, but let him build a beehive in the building's backyard.
At the same time, Wilson-Rich set up a Facebook page, offering beehive building and upkeep in exchange for research funds. Within three years, his research and beekeeping company Best Bees moved into an industrial facility. Today, Wilson-Rich owns an urban beekeeping empire, with hundreds of hives in nine major cities across the United States.
Best Bees' success reflects an urban renaissance in apiculture that spans several continents. In Berlin, for example, beekeeper numbers grew by 53 percent between 2006 and 2012, according to one study. New York City is home to hundreds of hives, despite the fact that the city legalized beekeeping only seven years ago. Driven by the concern over the popular pollinators' diminishing numbers, the ease of starting a hive, and a back-to-nature movement, urban apiculture is a booming trend. But many metropolitan beekeepers also believe that bees fare better in cities than they do in the countryside. Other wild animals have followed humans into the cities. Red foxes have been spotted in Bristol. Over 800 coyotes have been tracked in Chicago. Why shouldn't bees thrive in the city, too?
As bee numbers dwindled in many parts of the world over the past decade, there's a lot of buzz around the idea that keeping bees in city habitats might be better for their survival. Research shows that in more bucolic habitats bees may suffer from exposure to agricultural pesticides and a limited assortment of plants to forage as a result of industrial farming's preference for mono-cultures—stressors that, so the logic goes, they wouldn't be exposed to in the city.
There may be some truth to this theory, but it's actually far more nuanced. The relationship between man and bee dates back to about 9,000 years ago, when humans first started farming. Urban beekeepers seem to be doing more than just keeping the insects alive. They're bringing the human-bee alliance into the 21st century.
Enter the Colony Collapse Disorder
The modern plight of the honeybee hit the headlines in 2006. That year, bees across North America and Europe started dying off in droves, affected by a mysterious plague that became known as colony collapse disorder, or CCD. Some scientists blamed it on pests, some on pesticides, while others insisted habitat loss was the culprit. Some believed it was a combination of factors, such as two pesticides interacting with one another. Other hypotheses also pointed to the varroa destructor mites that parasitize honeybees, causing worker bees to flee the hive en masse. The mites may also increase the bees' susceptibility to other pathogens. Past research has shown that bees' diet affects their health too—particularly when they face pests or other pressures. One 2013 study, for example, found that bees that fed on a polyfloral pollen blend had stronger immune responses and better survival rates than those that fed from a single kind of pollen.
The theory that stuck, however, stated that pesticides, specifically neonicotinoids, were killing the bees. A study published in Science in 2012 found that nonlethal exposure to a neonicotinoid agricultural pesticide interfered with bees' ability to find their hives after foraging, which had a knock-on effect for the survival of the whole hive—an observation recorded in other subsequent studies. Dr. Jon Lundgren, a former United States Department of Agriculture researcher who has since become an organic farmer, said that while at the USDA he found evidence that pesticide exposure would have an adverse effect on bee health, too. Although the research was not published, he did publish a study looking at one kind of neonicotinoid's effects on butterflies, another pollinator, finding it caused similar stress to the butterflies as had been found in the bees. Since then, the evidence against neonicotinoids has mounted—so much that the European Union is considering a blanket ban on their use.
Over a decade later, CCD has somewhat faded from the headlines, but the bees are still under the same level of threat. A 2016 USDA survey of honeybee colonies found they were down 8 percent in 2015. Experts still don't know what triggers CCD, which is a frightening trend because the world's food security hinges on the insects' ability to pollinate crops. One 2009 study put the global economic value of animal pollination at almost $177 billion, but monetary values aside, man simply won't last long without bees. According to the USDA, bees pollinate 80 percent of flowering plants and about 75 percent of the nuts, fruits, and vegetables Americans eat.
Urban apiarists would tell you that one big reason bees do better in cities is that no agricultural pesticides are being sprayed on plants. But that claim doesn't quite hold.
Jeff Pettis, a professor at the Institute of Bee Health at the University of Bern, Switzerland, says that urban bees are equally exposed to pesticides as their country cousins. In an unpublished study, Pettis compared pesticide presence in 26 bumblebee colonies in Washington, D.C., and throughout rural areas of neighboring Howard County, Maryland. He found that all the colonies had pesticide traces and tested positive for a common herbicide. Similarly, a 2015 study of hives throughout Massachusetts found that hives located in Suffolk County, where Boston is situated, had the highest level of pesticides.
Neither do city bees seem to fare any better against varroa mites, said Philadelphia beekeeper John "Norris" Childs. Wilson-Rich agreed: Best Bees actively monitors its hives across the country, and they have just as many pests as do their rural counterparts, he said. In fact, urban bees may be more susceptible to the varroa mite invasions, possibly because amateur beekeepers try to keep their hives "natural" (i.e. varroa treatment–free), causing fatal infestations across cities.
But guess what—there's one area of bee health where urban beekeepers may actually be onto something: dietary diversity. It may sound counterintuitive, but bees may have better food choices in cities than they do in the countryside, Lundgren said.
Industrial farming leans toward monocultures, so the country bees may be able to forage for a very limited amount of crops, which is known to negatively affect their immune systems. In cities, bees have access to a better variety of foods. "I think the nutrition aspect, which may be better in urban or even some natural areas, may be the best part of producing healthy bees," Pettis said. Experts think that there may be dietary "hot spots" that offer bees particularly salubrious foraging landscapes.
Wilson-Rich is trying to find out if these "hot spots" indeed exist. An ongoing research project run by Best Bees called HoneyDNA is shedding light on the diversity of the forage their bees and bees living in more rural areas have access to. A 20-milliliter sample of honey from a hive can reveal the species of plants the bees have foraged from. "At a beehive at my own house, for example, we found we have 411 different plant species" in the honey, said Wilson-Rich. In contrast, a sample from Duxbury, a rural town south of Boston, yielded just 82 plant species. The next step, he said, is to increase plant diversity in areas like Duxbury and see if bee health improves.
Bees Have Gotten Hip!
So in case you haven't noticed, bees are now hip. Urban beekeeping has established itself as a 21st-century phenomenon. Just recently, two hives were set up in the New York City's Bryant Park, right in the middle of Manhattan. City hives allow people to "be a little more in touch with nature, plants, and bugs than urban life usually allows," said Philadelphia keeper Childs. Local schools are also keen to get in on the act, he said, as he often exhibits his bees to a neighboring K-8 school. Such exposure may inspire a new generation of urban and rural apiarists, said Childs. Best Bees' hive at Boston's Museum of Science is a big draw for younger children, according to Wilson-Rich. If nothing else, added Lundgren, it may inspire people to be more conscious of their impact on their environment. "Just by planting flowers, anyone can make a big difference," Lundgren said. Wilson-Rich agreed: You don't need a hive to contribute, but it also doesn't hurt—and may prove more useful than one might expect.
Theoretically, city beekeepers could lend their hives to pollinate farmers' crops, but it doesn't solve the single-crop issue for bees in the countryside—in a 2012 farmland census, the USDA reported that soybeans and corn accounted for more than 50 percent of all cropland harvested in the U.S. Lundgren contends that in order to see profound and noticeable difference in bee health in the countryside, farmers have to change their practices and diversify their crops. Is there a way to influence the crop choices and the overall attitude to bees' health in the countryside?
Interestingly, urban apiculture may help with that, too. The German Beekeeper Association reported that the countryside is seeing its own slower uptick in beekeeping, possibly due to the example set by Berlin and other metropolises. The cities, which often happen to be trendsetters in innovation, may be giving the ancient art of apiculture a 21st-century upgrade. Not only does urban involvement make beekeeping "cool" again, but initiatives like Best Bees' search for survival hot spots also may reveal ways to improve bee health in the countryside as well as in city.
Wilson-Rich, who now lives in his own house in Boston's South End, takes pride in placing a couple of hives on his front deck. Far from being a potential nuisance, the hives serve as side tables, ideal for hosting a party on a sunny day. Honeybees aren't usually aggressive, he says, even if you are drinking something sugary—because you don't look like a flower, you should be fine. "I drink vodka and lemonade out there," he said. "I've not had a bee in my drink yet."
Quote"The back building could house a meadery or possibly part of the honey operation," he said.
Sifton is co-owner of Bee Friends Farm LLC, a Jacksonville-based commercial beekeeping operation with about 280 hives. He plans to incorporate an apiary on the second story with an open green space.
https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/photo-gallery/council-oks-sale-of-lavilla-building-developer-plans-grocery-apartments
Thanks Lake! Very cool... and glad to see it. 8)
This looks like it will be an extension of his commercial operation... I am hoping to find some private urban apiaries... :)
QuoteSifton is co-owner of Bee Friends Farm LLC, a Jacksonville-based commercial beekeeping operation with about 280 hives. He plans to incorporate an apiary on the second story with an open green space.
Interesting.
I recently met Mike Thomas, Thomas Honey, which is sold throughout Jacksonville.
Mike is in his 80's. Grew up in Jacksonville, St Augustine Road.
Moved business to SR 441 location north of I-10 Deep Creek long ago.
60,000 acres under " Bee Lease".
With tongue in cheek Mike notes he has six million employees....... the Bees.
8)
I now have two hives... 1 rural and 1 suburban. Still looking for a urban location for a hive or two... 8)
I drive past this place on a regular basis.
lark-bee-company - Beekeeping and Honey, Jacksonville, Florida
https://www.larkbee.com (https://www.larkbee.com)
Our wildflower honey is from the St. Nicholas area of Jacksonville which is near the center of town where our bees visit the surrounding neighborhoods when they are foraging for nectar and pollen. The Gallberry honey is a light and delightful honey that comes from our farm in Glen St. Mary.
Registration · Beginners · Classes · Location · Contact
They have two or three hives behind the building...
I have three top bar hives in Old Arlington. It's been five or six years now and I'm still learning about them, amazing bugs. If anyone is interested in beekeeping Florida is a great area and the urban scene works very well.
Quote from: bobsim on February 15, 2020, 06:38:41 AM
I have three top bar hives in Old Arlington. It's been five or six years now and I'm still learning about them, amazing bugs. If anyone is interested in beekeeping Florida is a great area and the urban scene works very well.
Amazing creatures! I assume you like the top bar over the traditional Langstroth?
For me they're a good option. I could build them myself, no other boxes or equipment to store/maintain and they have a window I can peek in to watch without disturbing them.
For production minded folks the Langstroth system is the way to go but for the backyard beekeeper the top bar is worth looking into. I've helped a friend with a few removals and having seen some of the places the girls set up shop I don't think they care at all!
Interesting... I will have to take a closer look at the top bar hives. How have you been treating for varroa?
There's a hitch... I know it's possible to treat with the top bar system but I've never done it. My entrances are 3 1" holes on each hive so I don't think a vaporizer would fit. Last year a good friend wanted to treat them and brought over his set up. I'm sure he had a plan to make it happen but I just didn't feel comfortable putting something in the box that would kill me if I inhaled it.
I've had good luck with keeping bees without treatment. My first year I started with one nuc and one package, the nuc was local and did well but the package was from commercial stock and just couldn't survive without treating. It was tough to watch the package bees go but I split the nuc colony and replaced them. Other than the package bees I haven't had a loss to mites, they're in the boxes alright but something is going on and the bees are surviving. Sometimes I wonder if I have some feral genes working for me.
The big problem for me is the small hive beetles, last year I lost bees to them and added drawers to the bottoms of the hives to hold diatomaceous earth so I'm hoping this year goes better. So far all 3 colonies are strong and putting on weight, thinking about splitting them soon before they swarm. I don't know if it's part of the urban setting but my bees are some swarmy rascals. Sneaky too, I'll check in and everything looks fine then a couple of days later I'll look in the window and see swarm cells all over the place. So far it's good but I'm keeping an eye on them.
I sure hope you find your urban location, it'd be nice to have someone to compare notes with.
I'm with you regarding the oxalic acid vaporizer. If you have to wear a respirator to apply I am more than hesitant... I am coming up on my first anniversary as a beekeeper... I split my first hive two weeks ago. A week ago during an inspection I found a bee with deformed wings... a clear indication of varroa infestation. I immediately treated with Mite Away Quick Strips based on formic acid. MAQ says it's okay to leave honey supers during treatment. MAQ seems to be the least intrusive, most natural, and most effective . The biggest problem with MAQ is the temperature limitations. Cannot use above 85F. My treatment ends Tuesday and I cannot wait to get into the hive... I know I lost some bees...probably a couple hundred. I wish I could have caught the problem earlier... Activity at the hive entrance has been quite vigorous over the past two days so I am hopeful... :)
Not sure if he's still doing it but Jason Grimes (TSI, Buchner's) used to have hives and sold his product as 5 Points Honey.
Just helped a friend harvest 30 gallons of honey today. Two stings and hot hard work but the reward is amazing. He will get another 30 gallons by the end of July. I will be happy with 4 or 5 gallons... 8)
Apparently my bees are lazy...lol. Just finished the harvesting and stole 3 gallons from my two hives. I may have been a week or two early but had to get the harvest finished. Next year should have 4 mature hives and would like to quadruple harvest...
Still looking for a suitable place for a couple hives inside the beltway... 8)
A year later... and now have 4 hives... just harvested... 120 pounds or nearly 18 gallons. 8)
Quote from: BridgeTroll on June 28, 2021, 06:07:00 PM
A year later... and now have 4 hives... just harvested... 120 pounds or nearly 18 gallons. 8)
Amazing ... good on you ... worthwhile cause and a worthwhile outcome ...
Harvesting is hot sweaty and sticky work but I really enjoy it. Will begin filtering and bottling this weekend. Got some wax to melt and filter also...
Quote from: BridgeTroll on June 28, 2021, 06:07:00 PM
A year later... and now have 4 hives... just harvested... 120 pounds or nearly 18 gallons. 8)
Great for you and great for regional flowers and plants! By the way, have they gotten control of that murder hornet thing? Saw a fascinating story about how bees in Asia have evolved to come up with defensive strategies to isolate and eradicate them and hopefully bees here would come up with their own ways of dealing with them.
So far they seem isolated to the Seattle or Vancouver area. I would suspect that if they become a problem beekeepers will reduce the hive entrance to they can't get in...
Third year of beekeeping and this was my busiest... helped harvest 200+ pounds for Jacksonville Beekeepers association... harvested my own 225 pounds... and just helped a friend harvest 300+ pounds.
Generally speaking I have been a white collar guy including my 20 year Navy career... the physical labor of beekeeping is extremely satisfying... I got stung today but it was my own fault... my 5th sting in 3 years...
That is an amazing amount of honey.
Quote from: jcjohnpaint on July 02, 2021, 05:30:27 PM
That is an amazing amount of honey.
It is... I love to watch them. Some bring in pollen... so heavily laden they can barely fly. Others bring in nectar... When the nectar flow is on the traffic in and out of the hive is amazing...
I entered my honey in the judging competition at the Jacksonville Agricultural Fair and won the Blue Ribbon in the novice category. Extremely proud of my bees and thrilled with the win. I have sold nearly all of the 18 gallons harvested in June but may get a couple of gallons of fall honey shortly...
Congratulations!!
Bee proud of your accomplishment.
Quote from: BridgeTroll on November 06, 2021, 07:42:06 AM
I entered my honey in the judging competition at the Jacksonville Agricultural Fair and won the Blue Ribbon in the novice category. Extremely proud of my bees and thrilled with the win. I have sold nearly all of the 18 gallons harvested in June but may get a couple of gallons of fall honey shortly...
Well done!
Congrats!
Thanks all! I feel like one of those 4h kids...lol
Congratulations!
Dude that's awesome! Congrats on the win and even more on the bees!
Quote from: BridgeTroll on November 06, 2021, 01:49:23 PM
Thanks all! I feel like one of those 4h kids...lol
It's pretty cool. What attracted you to beekeeping? I take it - based on your earlier posts - that you decided to start doing this later in life. Is it something you are doing solely for fun or as a 'side hustle' or is it something you are doing (or planning to do) as a full-time job?
My wife used to have an allotment and there was another person there who had a number of hives. I thought it was very interesting, but know so little about the process. I also have a fear of being stung...
We love orange blossom honey. I have it most mornings. Congrats BT. That seems to me, to be a great hobby.
Quote from: Adam White on November 07, 2021, 05:00:14 AM
Quote from: BridgeTroll on November 06, 2021, 01:49:23 PM
Thanks all! I feel like one of those 4h kids...lol
It's pretty cool. What attracted you to beekeeping? I take it - based on your earlier posts - that you decided to start doing this later in life. Is it something you are doing solely for fun or as a 'side hustle' or is it something you are doing (or planning to do) as a full-time job?
My wife used to have an allotment and there was another person there who had a number of hives. I thought it was very interesting, but know so little about the process. I also have a fear of being stung...
One Saturday about 5 years ago there was a Honey Bee expo I attended at the Jacksonville Fair Grounds... it was just something to do on a weekend. I spent considerable time talking to beekeepers from the Jacksonville Beekeepers association and became more interested. I attended a couple meetings of the association and decided to give it a try. This endeavor was just going to be a hoby. I researched costs and issues and took the leap. I began with a single hive that only survived a year. Bought another hive of bees and soon discovered that you cannot just have one hive. You must split hives into two in order to prevent them from swarming. It took two years to get my first honey, three years to get enough to give away as gifts and this fourth year enough to sell. Honey sales this year have paid for my investment over the previous years. Honestly this ious supposed to be a hobby and at this point I may only expand by another hive or two. In four+ years I have only been stung 6 times. When I am working on a hive I wear full protection but if I am just around a hive I do not as honeybees really don't care what you are doing as long as you're not messing with the hive. If anyone has further questions I am happy to answer them...
BTW... go to the fair and check out the Jacksonville Beekeepers association booth... 8)
Quote from: Snaketoz on November 07, 2021, 07:34:25 AM
We love orange blossom honey. I have it most mornings. Congrats BT. That seems to me, to be a great hobby.
Orange blossom honey is considered to be a monofloral honey... meaning that it comes from one type of flower nectar. I produce polyfloral or wildflower honey which comes from all the flowers the bees are working... here is a great explanation.
https://savannahbee.com/blog/monofloral-vs-polyfloral-honey-varieties
Quote from: BridgeTroll on November 07, 2021, 07:39:19 AM
Quote from: Adam White on November 07, 2021, 05:00:14 AM
Quote from: BridgeTroll on November 06, 2021, 01:49:23 PM
Thanks all! I feel like one of those 4h kids...lol
It's pretty cool. What attracted you to beekeeping? I take it - based on your earlier posts - that you decided to start doing this later in life. Is it something you are doing solely for fun or as a 'side hustle' or is it something you are doing (or planning to do) as a full-time job?
My wife used to have an allotment and there was another person there who had a number of hives. I thought it was very interesting, but know so little about the process. I also have a fear of being stung...
One Saturday about 5 years ago there was a Honey Bee expo I attended at the Jacksonville Fair Grounds... it was just something to do on a weekend. I spent considerable time talking to beekeepers from the Jacksonville Beekeepers association and became more interested. I attended a couple meetings of the association and decided to give it a try. This endeavor was just going to be a hoby. I researched costs and issues and took the leap. I began with a single hive that only survived a year. Bought another hive of bees and soon discovered that you cannot just have one hive. You must split hives into two in order to prevent them from swarming. It took two years to get my first honey, three years to get enough to give away as gifts and this fourth year enough to sell. Honey sales this year have paid for my investment over the previous years. Honestly this ious supposed to be a hobby and at this point I may only expand by another hive or two. In four+ years I have only been stung 6 times. When I am working on a hive I wear full protection but if I am just around a hive I do not as honeybees really don't care what you are doing as long as you're not messing with the hive. If anyone has further questions I am happy to answer them...
BTW... go to the fair and check out the Jacksonville Beekeepers association booth... 8)
Wow...sounds like you've really learned a lot and put a lot into this. It's very cool and maybe something for me to aspire to in a few years' time. Seems like it would be very satisfying.
Update...
Since moving to the north Georgia mountains I have continued beekeeping. I sell my honey in a honor system kiosk at the end of my driveway. People put their money in a jar on the table and take what they bought. No one has EVER stolen a dollar or any honey. I have maintained an average of 4 hives and sell about $3-4k every year. I have 2 harvests every year... once around July 4 and another and of September. The second harvest is a specialty honey called Sourwood that comes from a flowering sourwood tree that only grows up here in the mountains.
:) 8)
Recently received some Sourwood honey from around Nashville :). Wasn't familiar with it before, so funny seeing you bring up here so soon after that.
That's so awesome! My neighbors have a hive in their front yard. We've put out some pollinating plants to help them produce. Haven't tried that honey yet, but at this point we only ever get local honey.
My favorite honey is Tupelo but it is getting ever harder to find and more expensive when it is found. Only comes from the panhandle of Florida around the Apalachicola river basin (although one source also says it can come from the Okefenokee Swamp).
One book writer about honey on NPR said it was her favorite honey too, from ones all over the world that she had experienced.
At one time, it was available in Whole Foods but haven't checked again in years. Looks like you can buy it online.
A few tidbits for the uninitiated:
QuoteFlorida Tupelo honey is one of the rarest honeys in the world. Featuring an exquisite buttery flavor and light color, honey from the tupelo tree is sought after by honey aficionados the world over. It even inspired a song from the legendary Van Morrison.
QuoteIs Tupelo honey expensive?
White tupelo honey is sometimes called fine tupelo honey and is the most expensive honey because it is the most expensive to produce. Care must be taken by the beekeepers to clean the combs at the right time so that when the white tupelo gum tree blossoms, only the honey from these blossoms is collected.
QuoteDoes Tupelo Honey raise blood sugar?
One might wonder, "Is Tupelo honey better for diabetics?" In contrast to processed white sugar, which can cause blood sugar levels to fluctuate rapidly, the fructose in Tupelo honey doesn't affect a person's blood sugar level as drastically, making it a safer sweetener for diabetics.
QuoteTupelo Honey Facts and L.L. Lanier and Son's Family History
Tupelo honey is a specialty honey produced from the tupelo gum tree which grows profusely along the Chipola and Apalachicola rivers of northwest Florida. Here in the river swamps, this honey is produced in a unique fashion. Bees are placed on elevated platforms along the river's edge, and the bees fan out through the surrounding Tupelo blossom laden swamps during April and May and return with their precious treasure. This river valley is the only place in the world where high quality Tupelo Honey is produced commercially.
Real Tupelo honey is a light gold amber color with a greenish cast and has a unique floral fragrance. The flavor is delicious, delicate, and distinctive. Tupelo is a delightful sensation to the taste buds. Good white tupelo unmixed with other honeys will not granulate, due to its high fructose low glucose ratio.
Tupelo honey also doesn't crystalize like other honeys.
Quote from: Josh on November 17, 2023, 10:38:27 AM
Tupelo honey also doesn't crystalize like other honeys.
Same with Sourwood... :) 8)
QuoteAppalachian sourwood honey is one of the most prized honeys in the world. Compared to our bold Appalachian Honey, the Sourwood has a remarkably delicate flavor profile, characterized by anise and spice. Sourwood honey's flavor is so remarkable, it regularly wins the Apimonda world champion honey contests and is highly coveted by food connoisseurs throughout the world.
How does it taste? Chef Paul Smith says: "Appalachian Beekeeping Collective sour wood honey may be the best honey I have ever tasted. When I tasted the first spoon It brought me back to the first time I gently pulled the stem and touched my tongue to the nectar bead of the honey suckle flower on my grandfathers honey suckle vine. There is nothing better than smells and flavors to spark vivid memories. My immediate second memory is the first time I tasted Hungarian Tokaji dessert wine. With good acidity, freshness, balance, intensity and great aromatic complexity with floral essences, along with hints of peaches and ripe plums. The honey flavors are complex, reminiscent and of quince, caramel and nuts such as almonds and hazelnuts." - Chef Paul Smith, Charleston, West Virginia
For the curious, this is an article on Van Morrison's Tupelo Honey song:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tupelo_Honey_(song)
Here he is singing it on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGkQ4mPiyoU (18+ million views in 7 years)
"Tupelo Honey" is a song from that era that does not get anywhere near the attention it deserves (along with "Jackie Wilson (I'm In Heaven When You Smile)". Big Van Morrison fan's know this but songs like that are overshadowed by the iconic successes of "Brown-Eyed Girl" and "Moondance". "Tupelo Honey" should be considered one of the all time rock classics from that period.