About our honey
Our bees forage numerous sources of nectar within a 3 mile radius of Sydenham Damerel near Tavistock here in the beautiful Tamar Valley. Being located in the heart of the Devon countryside, they have access to countless wild flowers in fields, verges and hedgerows, as well as seasonal crops on local farmland, plants in gardens and multiple tree blossom in between. The honey is full of natural pollens, enzymes, minerals and antioxidants which are beneficial to general health, including good gut flora and fauna. Unlike supermarket honey (see 'Beware Fake Honey') you can be assured that our honey has been produced exclusively by our bees and has not been supplemented with anything else. What's more, it's really tasty too!
We hope to take two limited honey crops per year - one in the Spring (mostly made from a mixture of dandelion, sycamore, oilseed rape and various wild flowers) and another in the Summer (a mixture of wild flowers, clover, hawthorn and bramble etc). But only if the bees can spare it!
Honey granulation
Good quality honey will naturally granulate over time. Certain nectars such as that from oilseed rape or ivy are more prone to early granulation, due to their naturally high glucose to sucrose ratio. Some people like their honey a bit less runny (or even crunchy!) but if you prefer it back in its original smooth liquid state, simply heat the jar gently for a few hours. If you do this slowly at around 35-40c (the same temperature as within a hive) then no enzymes will be destroyed. You can use higher temperatures if you're not concerned about the enzymes, and you won't adversely affect the taste. The best way to heat the jar is in an oven with an accurate thermostat which will heat no higher than 35-40c. Alternatively in the summer you could place it inside a hot car for a couple of hours, or in winter it on top of a radiator or an Aga - resting on a trivet to avoid direct contact with the heat. You can also place the jar in a pan of gently warming water, but be prepared to lose your label!
You can contact me direct on 07973 600728 if you have any questions.
