Our Bees
Keeping bees in and around The Peak District
The most important part of our business
Bees are vital parts of the human food-chain, with as many as 80% of plants pollinated by bees, including much of the food we know and love such as soft fruits and legumes. The honey bee is just one of over 250 species of bee found in the UK but is the only bee that is kept in hives for a honey harvest.
Sadly, wild bee populations are in decline; with the continuing encroachment of man, changes to agriculture and pesticide uses, and the import of the varroa mite in the last century, it is thought that very few wild honey bee colonies remain.
What we do
We keep lots and lots of bees! - and we want to keep more of them in more locations.
Looking after the bees is both a calling and a passion. As beekeepers we have a responsibility to ensure the both safety and well being of our colonies, as well as helping the bees fit into the modern environment. We also participate in research schemes gathering data on the impact of man upon bee behaviours and foraging.
We provide warm safe hives for them, we try to prevent them swarming, and we monitor for disease and treat appropriately. It's a lot of work, but it is worth it.
Our products
Luscious honey..........
Every year we harvest some spare honey from our bees, and it sells out quickly. Local honey is very popular - very few of the jars you see in the supermarkets are UK honeys; most are imports and many are from China. Many people believe that local honeys can help alleviate hay-fever symptoms, and there are very few food miles involved. Best of all, it tastes divine and you can trust that what you are eating is solely the product of the local hedgerows and gardens.
You can also purchase pure beeswax candles and other hive products, many of which are made by ourselves to traditional recipes. There are also exciting bee-themed greeting cards and gifts featuring local artists.
An ethical approach
We try to be as ethical and environmentally conscious as practical, and sometimes that does mean compromise. But we are always looking for ways to improve.
All our honey jars are UK made from a minimum of 35% recycled glass, and we encourage all our customers to recycle or reuse once they have enjoyed the contents.
Wherever possible we use recycled packaging materials for shipping.
Traditional hives are wooden, but we use modern polystyrene (although we avoid polystyrene for our retail packaging). The hives have a working life of 40 years, are warmer for the bees, and are recyclable, so that is a compromise we feel comfortable making.