FAQ

Honestly? No jarred honey is truly raw, ours included. Honey has to be strained to remove flakes of wax that come off the combs during extraction. What we don't do is heat-treat it, pasteurise it or blend it.

If you want honey exactly as the bees made it, buy it in the comb with the wax cappings still on. Read more about raw honey.

Local honey comes from one place, so it tastes of whatever the bees were foraging on that season. Spring honey tastes different from summer honey. That's how you know it's real.

Most supermarket honey is blended from several countries and ultra-filtered, which strips out the pollen. Without pollen there's no real way to prove where it came from. Find out what makes Yorkshire honey special.

It means the honey could have come from almost anywhere. You'll see it on nearly all supermarket honey. Over half of Europe's imported honey comes from China, and the European Commission found that 20% of honey imported into Europe was suspected of containing added sugar syrups.

Bear that in mind next time a local beekeeper's jar looks a little more expensive.

No, and you should be wary of UK honey that claims to be. Honey bees forage up to about three miles from the hive. To be certified organic, a beekeeper would have to prove every bit of that land was farmed organically, which is close to impossible in the UK.

Organic honey sold here is nearly all imported, mainly from Brazil and New Zealand.

It's crystallised, and that's a good sign. All real honey sets eventually. How quickly depends on which flowers the bees visited.

If you'd like it runny again, stand the jar in warm (not boiling) water for a while and stir. Don't microwave it.

Soft set (sometimes called creamed honey) is honey that's been encouraged to set with a very fine, smooth crystal, so it spreads like butter and doesn't drip off your toast. It's done through a process called seeding. Nothing is added. See how soft set honey is made.

It's honey still sealed in the wax comb the bees built, exactly as it came out of the hive. You can eat the whole thing, wax and all. It's as close to raw honey as you'll get. More about comb honey.

Through our online shop. We're happy to arrange collection at a mutually agreed date and time.

We start in our classroom with an introduction to honey bees and how a colony works. Then we suit up and head to the apiary, where you'll take part in a hive inspection with an experienced beekeeper right beside you. You'll get to hold a frame of bees, which most people never forget. See the experience and book.

Six at most. We keep groups small so everyone gets proper time at the hive and plenty of chance to ask questions.

It's unlikely, but we can't promise it won't happen. Bees are living creatures. We only use calm colonies that we've checked beforehand, everyone wears a full bee suit, veil and gloves, and our beekeeper has a first aid qualification and stays with you throughout.

No, we provide suits, veils and gloves. Please wear sturdy, closed shoes, as the apiary is a working farm with grass, tracks and uneven ground.

Please talk to us before booking. Everyone completes a registration form with their medical details, and if you've been prescribed an adrenaline auto-injector you must bring it with you. If you're unsure, check with your GP first.

Yes. Anyone between 5 and 18 needs a parent or guardian to sign their registration form and be accompanied by a paying adult. Get in touch if you'd like to check whether the experience suits your child.

Bees don't like rain, wind or thunder any more than we do. We check the forecast before every session and will shorten, move or rearrange it if conditions aren't right. Opening a hive in bad weather isn't fair on the bees or on you.

Yes, and it makes a brilliant present for the person who has everything. Buy a gift voucher.

Don't panic, and don't spray them. A swarm is a colony looking for a new home, and the bees are usually very calm because they've no hive to defend. Keep people and pets away and call a local beekeeper as soon as you can.

If you're in Barnsley or nearby, we can help.

A honey bee swarm usually hangs in a tight cluster, often from a branch, fence or hedge. Bumblebees are rounder and fluffier and nest in small numbers, often in the ground or a bird box. Wasps are bright yellow and black with a narrow waist. Beekeepers can only collect honey bee swarms, so a photo really helps when you call.

Yes, in Barnsley and the surrounding area. Visit our swarm help page.

Plant for pollinators. Bees need flowers from early spring to late autumn, so aim for something in bloom all through the season. Our guide to planting for bees and our pick of nectar-rich seeds will get you started.

Before you buy a hive, learn as much as you can and join your local beekeeping association. A beekeeping experience is a good way to find out if it's really for you. Read our advice for new beekeepers.

It's a way to support bees without keeping a hive yourself, for individuals or businesses. It also makes a lovely gift for nature lovers. Find out more about sponsoring a hive.