Our bees…
We began our beekeeping journey around eight years ago, and it’s been a constant learning experience ever since. Beekeeping is far from easy, but it’s deeply rewarding. As ethical beekeepers, we prioritise the wellbeing of our bees and always treat them with care and respect.
We manage two apiaries, one is tucked away in a peaceful woodland clearing beside a quiet fishing lake, where the land is being restored with native plants - providing a rich and varied forage for the bees. The other is set in the beautiful South Downs National Park near Alfriston, East Sussex, offering a diverse and natural environment where our hives thrive.
Our bees are busy from February, when the queens begin laying, through to October, weather permitting. In the summer months, after tending to the hives, we love to sit by the lake with a cup of tea and a slice of cake, taking in the peaceful surroundings.
Bees play a crucial role in our ecosystem and are essential for pollination, which supports the growth of many plants, including those that provide food for humans and other animals.
These industrious insects are responsible for pollinating approximately one-third of the food we consume. There are over 20,000 species of bees worldwide, with honeybees and bumblebees being among the most well-known.
A single honeybee can produce up to 1/12th of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime, which typically lasts around six weeks during the active season.
Bees communicate through a series of dances and pheromones to inform each other about the location of food sources. Protecting bees is paramount, as their population is declining due to habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change, which poses a significant threat to biodiversity and food security.