Hooray for honey! August was a busy month for beekeepers, and so Emma Pritchard wants to be sure you enjoy the fruits of their labour with The Little Honey Bee Company
Chances are you’ll have noticed the yellow and black stripes of bees buzzing busily around Surrey in recent months. Now it’s time for their attentive keepers to get to work, as August is the traditional month for harvesting honey.
Michelle Ernoult, of The Little Honey Bee Company in Sutton, has been keeping bees for nine years at sites across the county, though she lives in a flat. As well as jarring some of the honey, Michelle combines it with beeswax for her range of natural soaps, balms and candles.
“Honey has amazing moisturising and antibacterial properties, and is gentle enough for the most sensitive skin,” she says. “Plus, it smells divine!”
The Little Honey Bee Company has an extensive calendar of events coming up, so don't miss a chance to sample their honey and other natural, environmentally-friendly products.
If you're interested in getting more hands-on with beekeeping, there's no shortage of local options. The Surrey Beekeepers Association has eight local divisions - Croydon, Epsom, Farnham, Guildford, Kingston, Reigate, Weybridge and Wimbledon - so there's definitely a group for you nearby. Their next training day is on September 19, and you can book online - more specific events are listed on each division's website.
Surrey Bees runs theory and practical courses for beginning beekeepers each year - there aren't any more spaces for 2015, but you can always adopt a hive for a share of honey and the ability to meet "your" bees.
For more great countryside ideas from Emma, follow her @craftandcountry, read her online blog, or check out her monthly column in our Surrey magazines
