The Snowdonia Honey Co., a locally-owned business that produces premium honey (mêl) from hives dotted around the Snowdonia National Park (Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri), has unveiled a limited-edition, Welsh Spring Honey. The release was made possible thanks to the fine weather that the region enjoyed in May and June, which produced an abundance of early-flowering plants.
Honey producers in Snowdonia rarely get a spring crop, as the National Park doesn’t have the same type of agriculture present in other locations. The production of oil seed rape, which flowers in spring, is what most British bees will be foraging on in the early part of the season.
The Welsh Spring Honey has been produced by bees visiting hawthorn, horse chestnut and other native wildflowers and fauna in Snowdonia. A dark amber colour with a smooth finish, the taste is more intense than honey produced in the summer, capturing the aroma of spring flora. There are fewer than 500 jars available, costing £8.99 per 227g jar.
“It was a very cold start to the season in April, and the bee colonies were slow to build up, but they certainly made the most of the gorgeous weather and abundant forage available in May and June,” explains the owner of the Snowdonia Honey Co. and former MasterChef contestant, Alun Allcock. “This year, we have been very lucky.”
The next limited edition Welsh honey will be available in September. Snowdonia Ling Heather Honey is only available for a very short time and comes from the Welsh Ling Heather that, if conditions are right, turn the slopes of Snowdonia a magnificent purple in late July and August. It is a fragrant, dark, and rich honey that has a sweet yet earthy taste.
The Snowdonia Honey Co. was founded in 2018 when Alun bought a small farm in Snowdonia. As a former MasterChef contestant with a love of sourcing quality ingredients with provenance, Alun realised that there was an opportunity to produce unique, high-quality honey from the rugged, ever-changing landscape of Snowdonia.
Snowdonia’s diverse flora and fauna, coupled with the fact that the bees have to be tough to cope with the often-wild conditions, has resulted in honey with a sought-after and distinctive flavour, aroma, and colour. This is attracting a growing following of discerning British food lovers.
Alun has gradually added to his hives to keep up with demand. Starting with just two, The Snowdonia Honey Co. now has around 100 hives dotted throughout the Snowdonia countryside, equating to 6 million or so bees at the height of Summer.
“When I tried the first batch of honey from those original bees, I knew we had found something special. Snowdonia can be a harsh environment, and the bees have to be extra tough to survive and thrive.
That – coupled with the wonderful flowers and plants that are native here, including our heather – has resulted in a unique, high-quality honey that reflects the region’s unspoiled wilderness. I’m delighted to see more and more people tasting and discovering it.”
Social responsibility and environmental sustainability are central to everything that the company does. Alun helps to pass on and promote the ecological and positive contribution that bees and beekeeping make to the environment through his tutoring and mentoring work of new beekeepers at The National Beekeeping Centre for Wales.
The hives are also managed to ensure the health and well-being of the bees while promoting sustainable honey production and protecting the environment.
The honey producer practices cold extraction and filtration of their honey and only harvests honey when the bees have produced an excess. This means that the honey is free from any additives or contaminants and is as close to nature as possible.
Welsh Spring Honey can be purchased online from the Snowdonia Honey Co. website for free delivery anywhere in the UK.
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