Whatton Apiaries Local Honey

Whatton Apiaries is based on the Whatton estate in North West Leicestershire with the home apiaries in the village of Long Whatton.

John Heard has managed honey bee colonies for over 30 years with apiaries.

All of their product is extracted and bottled in a 5 star food standard facility based in the village of Long Whatton. The honeys are simply extracted, filtered and blended with no recourse to heat based pasteurisation used in Supermarket honey which destroys the natural enzymes and yeast within the product. They keep the use of heat to a minimum to maintain the quality of the products. Electricity is used within the process, but much of the power used is provided by Eco friendly solar panels.

John exercises a batch control system which enables him to identify from which apiary and from which extraction every jar of honey is originated.

A unique product brought from flower to jar largely within the confines of the Whatton Estate. A truly Artisan local product.

Honey is harvested twice during the beekeeping season. The first crop in June once the fields of oilseed rape lose their flowers. This crop is very prone to crystallisation and is removed and extracted before this occurs in the comb. The second crop is taken in August as the majority of nectar bearing plants lose their flowers at the end of the Summer.

John cares for his bees and does all in his power to maintain their well being and survival.

Here is a great recipe by Kath for Whatton Honey Cake x