“Where does my honey come from?”
The Honey (England) Regulations 2015 gives the definition of honey and refers to the information to be provided by the packer on the label.
At De-Bees Apiaries we go much further than the legislated requirement by harvesting, packaging, and identifying our honey by season, geographical location, apiary, and hive. This makes every jar of honey traceable back to the bees that made it.
At De-Bees Apiaries we go much further than the legislated requirement by harvesting, packaging, and identifying our honey by season, geographical location, apiary, and hive. This makes every jar of honey traceable back to the bees that made it.
What does this mean and how is it relevant?
All nectar giving plants from garden flowers to woodland trees bloom at a specific time of year depending upon local climatic conditions. Given the time of year and a defined location, it is possible to identify the bees' likely forage source. Nectar and pollen are the primary determinant affecting texture, colour, aroma, and taste.
* Seasonal reference indicates the general forage source for a given time of year
* Geographical location indicates the likely forage source within a given area
* Apiary indicates precisely the likely forage source during the stated season
* Hive identification completes the traceability
Not all colonies go to the same forage at the same time as everyone else. It is not unusual for the honey from supers put on adjacent colonies at the same time to contain noticeably different honey. Be that in its colour, taste, or texture when set.
All nectar giving plants from garden flowers to woodland trees bloom at a specific time of year depending upon local climatic conditions. Given the time of year and a defined location, it is possible to identify the bees' likely forage source. Nectar and pollen are the primary determinant affecting texture, colour, aroma, and taste.
* Seasonal reference indicates the general forage source for a given time of year
* Geographical location indicates the likely forage source within a given area
* Apiary indicates precisely the likely forage source during the stated season
* Hive identification completes the traceability
Not all colonies go to the same forage at the same time as everyone else. It is not unusual for the honey from supers put on adjacent colonies at the same time to contain noticeably different honey. Be that in its colour, taste, or texture when set.
See who made your honey and learn a little about where they live.
Big.1-12 on Liverton Farm
We relocated to Liverton Farm with 7-colonies, expanding over the next couple of years to 12-full colonies. The original 7 boxes were decorated with doors, the next 5 decorated with flowers and they all became identified as Big.Lwr 1-12
Liverton Farm raises beef cattle kept outdoors until winter storms makes the ground impassable. Small areas of arable are produced on a low impact basis. Temperate rainforest makes up a good sized area of the farm. Spring forage is primarily Oak and other deciduous blossom. Summer forage is primarily Bramble and wild-flower.
We relocated to Liverton Farm with 7-colonies, expanding over the next couple of years to 12-full colonies. The original 7 boxes were decorated with doors, the next 5 decorated with flowers and they all became identified as Big.Lwr 1-12
Liverton Farm raises beef cattle kept outdoors until winter storms makes the ground impassable. Small areas of arable are produced on a low impact basis. Temperate rainforest makes up a good sized area of the farm. Spring forage is primarily Oak and other deciduous blossom. Summer forage is primarily Bramble and wild-flower.
Big.N1-3 on Liverton Farm
Big.TdH N1-3 were originally set up for queen rearing. N3 being the cell raiser with N1&2 the finishers. Since then we have adapted and refined our queen rearing method and they now function a little differently.
The field behind the hedge is herbal ley pasture. A rich source of nutrition for cattle and bees alike. The hedges around Liverton farm are old and well established over decades, packed with nectar & pollen rich flora. Grazed fields and maintained pasture are a good source of spring Dandelion and summer Clover.
Big.TdH N1-3 were originally set up for queen rearing. N3 being the cell raiser with N1&2 the finishers. Since then we have adapted and refined our queen rearing method and they now function a little differently.
The field behind the hedge is herbal ley pasture. A rich source of nutrition for cattle and bees alike. The hedges around Liverton farm are old and well established over decades, packed with nectar & pollen rich flora. Grazed fields and maintained pasture are a good source of spring Dandelion and summer Clover.
Big.L1-8 on Liverton Farm
The latest area to be brought into use on Top-de-Hill. The Big.L1-8 stand is used primarily to grow swarm control splits and nuc's into full size colonies.
Spring nuc's might produce enough summer honey for harvest but generally are used to requeen or boost over-wintered colonies. Not all summer nuc's develop into full colonies, mostly due to queen failures. These get combined and over-winter as full sized colonies. Over-wintered colonies may become next season honey producers.
The latest area to be brought into use on Top-de-Hill. The Big.L1-8 stand is used primarily to grow swarm control splits and nuc's into full size colonies.
Spring nuc's might produce enough summer honey for harvest but generally are used to requeen or boost over-wintered colonies. Not all summer nuc's develop into full colonies, mostly due to queen failures. These get combined and over-winter as full sized colonies. Over-wintered colonies may become next season honey producers.
Big.D1-5 on Liverton Farm
The original area of Top-de-Hill developed specifically for expanding nuc's. The Big.D1-5 stands started off as double nuc' stands but gradually they've become permanent space for the resident main honey producers at Big.
Principle spring forage is wild Garlic, deciduous trees' blossom, Gorse, Hawthorn. Principle summer forage is Bramble and also multi-floral hedgerow nectars. Hawthorn makes a soft creamy texture set honey with an unmistakeable aroma of Hawthorn blossom.
The original area of Top-de-Hill developed specifically for expanding nuc's. The Big.D1-5 stands started off as double nuc' stands but gradually they've become permanent space for the resident main honey producers at Big.
Principle spring forage is wild Garlic, deciduous trees' blossom, Gorse, Hawthorn. Principle summer forage is Bramble and also multi-floral hedgerow nectars. Hawthorn makes a soft creamy texture set honey with an unmistakeable aroma of Hawthorn blossom.
Hawk.1-13 on Woodbury Common
A little further north from Yettington, this apiary is a new site establishing during 2026 season. Starting off primarily as a nuc' site for over-wintered nuc's and also Spring queen rearing. The hive numbering looks a bit out due to the nuc's in between the hive spaces. 1-3 were nuc's but have grown into full size colonies.
There is a substantial acreage of arable land nearby planted with Canola. Grazed pasture across the road had a good covering of Dandelion and there are plenty of Spring blossoming trees. Summer honey crop is expected to be primarily a mix of Clover and Bramble.. We're yet to discover if there are Sweet Chestnut and Linden trees nearby.
A little further north from Yettington, this apiary is a new site establishing during 2026 season. Starting off primarily as a nuc' site for over-wintered nuc's and also Spring queen rearing. The hive numbering looks a bit out due to the nuc's in between the hive spaces. 1-3 were nuc's but have grown into full size colonies.
There is a substantial acreage of arable land nearby planted with Canola. Grazed pasture across the road had a good covering of Dandelion and there are plenty of Spring blossoming trees. Summer honey crop is expected to be primarily a mix of Clover and Bramble.. We're yet to discover if there are Sweet Chestnut and Linden trees nearby.
Kers.1-10 in the woodland apiary Yettington
Kers.DB's is used primarily for spare bees and queen rearing. Older queens are retired here and continue favoured queen lines as part of our queen rearing program.
The pasture in front of Kers is covered in Dandelion in spring and Clover in summer. Both make excellent quality set honeys. The surrounding area is Pebble-bed heath and woodland, with an abundance of Sweet Chestnut and several Linden trees nearby. Sweet Chestnut honey is dark in colour with an extremely strong and aromatic flavour.
Kers.DB's is used primarily for spare bees and queen rearing. Older queens are retired here and continue favoured queen lines as part of our queen rearing program.
The pasture in front of Kers is covered in Dandelion in spring and Clover in summer. Both make excellent quality set honeys. The surrounding area is Pebble-bed heath and woodland, with an abundance of Sweet Chestnut and several Linden trees nearby. Sweet Chestnut honey is dark in colour with an extremely strong and aromatic flavour.
Orch.1-3 in the orchard apiary Yettington
The Yettington orchard site was redeveloped in 2024 thanks to new stock fencing and expanded to become Orch.1-6 plus spare nuc's and queen rearing colony with an additional nuc' stand for queen mating.
The pasture opposite is covered in Dandelion in Spring which makes a lovely smooth lipid rich set honey. The pollen stains everything bright yellow. Nearby fields are planted with cover crops in Autumn, and Bicton Botanical Garden is within easy bee-line distance.
The Yettington orchard site was redeveloped in 2024 thanks to new stock fencing and expanded to become Orch.1-6 plus spare nuc's and queen rearing colony with an additional nuc' stand for queen mating.
The pasture opposite is covered in Dandelion in Spring which makes a lovely smooth lipid rich set honey. The pollen stains everything bright yellow. Nearby fields are planted with cover crops in Autumn, and Bicton Botanical Garden is within easy bee-line distance.
Orch.4-6 in the orchard apiary Yettington
The new fence line has provided more space to spread the honey producing colonies further apart. Orch.4-6 are now separated from Orch.1-3 by the ancient apple tree. A nuc stand in the middle houses our Langstroth hive, specifically managed for queen rearing.
Surrounded by Pebble-bed heath, deciduous and pine woodland, herbal ley pasture, fallow fields, cover crops, and fruit trees. Orch.1-6 produces some interesting and varied honeys and makes for particularly smooth naturally set spring honey.
The new fence line has provided more space to spread the honey producing colonies further apart. Orch.4-6 are now separated from Orch.1-3 by the ancient apple tree. A nuc stand in the middle houses our Langstroth hive, specifically managed for queen rearing.
Surrounded by Pebble-bed heath, deciduous and pine woodland, herbal ley pasture, fallow fields, cover crops, and fruit trees. Orch.1-6 produces some interesting and varied honeys and makes for particularly smooth naturally set spring honey.
Uni-Q at UoE HARC
Zoë manages the Honeybee Apiary Research Centre as part of her role at Exeter University. She set it up in 2023 and has developed it into a fully functioning apiary. Honey is very much a sticky by-product and it's harvest is limited by judicious colony management.
The university grounds are a veritable botanical garden with native and non-native trees, shrubs, productive kitchen garden, and a community garden & orchard. All this and the usual bee forage typical of Devon makes for an extremely productive apiary.
Zoë manages the Honeybee Apiary Research Centre as part of her role at Exeter University. She set it up in 2023 and has developed it into a fully functioning apiary. Honey is very much a sticky by-product and it's harvest is limited by judicious colony management.
The university grounds are a veritable botanical garden with native and non-native trees, shrubs, productive kitchen garden, and a community garden & orchard. All this and the usual bee forage typical of Devon makes for an extremely productive apiary.