Summer Harvest, Autumn Preparations & Exciting New Ventures

In late July, we took this year’s summer honey crop, harvesting an impressive 89kg of beautiful summer runny honey

We also ensured plenty was left behind for our bees, as their own stores are vital for survival through the colder months. Now in late August, our colonies are busy preparing for winter.  As the summer bees gradually die off, the last of the season’s resources are being carefully stored by the hardworking winter bees who will carry the hives through until spring.

It was an exhilarating time working with the bees, especially during the honey harvest. Since we didn't collect a spring crop, we were thrilled with the substantial contribution to our summer yield. With the expansion of our apiary and efforts in bee rearing and establishing new apiaries, beekeeping has kept both us and the bees quite busy this year.

This year, our plan had been to create a number of splits from our existing colonies to build up extra hives for overwintering and to give us a boost heading into next year. However, like many beekeepers across the UK—and particularly here in the Northwest—we’ve faced a sharp increase in wasp activity. Sadly, wasps have caused real difficulties for some, with reports of entire colonies and even apiaries being lost. While we managed to keep our bees safe, it has been a sharp reminder of the challenges nature brings. We’ve already taken measures and will be even better prepared next year to manage wasps and protect our hives from being overwhelmed.

Despite these challenges, this year’s honey harvest has been a joy. It’s been wonderful to return to market stalls with our very own summer honey once again, alongside the honey we continue to proudly distribute from trusted beekeepers across the Northwest and Cumbria.

Back to the Market

We had the pleasure of taking part in the Brilliant Barrow Festival, alongside BAE Systems and Barrow BID, to celebrate Barrow-in-Furness over the weekend. Although we missed the Saturday events, including the soap box derby and stalls, we attended on Sunday at the Dock Museum. This was an opportunity not only to showcase our summer honey but also to engage in meaningful discussions about our ideas, values, and appreciation for wildlife and local biodiversity.

Most recent update

Alongside the honey harvest, we’ve also begun working on something new—our very own cosmetics range. We’re currently awaiting the final safety reports, but we can’t wait to share more with you soon. We hope this next chapter has many exciting new realises of the natural products kind to the environment and kind to your skin.

It’s an exciting time for us here at South Lakes Honey Company, and we look forward to keeping you updated as the season unfolds