To mark the last few days of summer, beekeepers around Wiltshire are harvesting their honey in preparation for the Wiltshire Bee & Honey Day on October 9 in Devizes.
This year, Emma Morley of Corsham helped teach two new beekeepers - Andrea Weylan and Trudi Granger - how to harvest honey.
Together they cleared the comb of bees and then lugged boxes full of honey to Emma’s house, where she uncapped each frame with a sharp knife, spun it, strained out the bits of wax and then bottled it.
Emma is helping to organise this year’s Wiltshire Bee & Honey Day, where she hopes to introduce more people to the craft of beekeeping. At the same time, she will be competing for the coveted Blue Ribbon Award for the best jar of honey.
Emma Morley - straining bits of wax from the honey before bottling 2
Eden Renewables and Viridor are this year’s headline supporters of the show; Eden Renewables will be explaining how biodiversity and solar farms go hand in hand to help provide more forage for pollinators.
Other exhibitors include Hive Originals, Candle Cavern, the Countryside charity CPRE, Bee Happy Glass Designs and Wadworth Brewery from Devizes, who will be brewing a honey ale especially for event – visitors can sample it on the day. There will also be mead made from honey, for those that want a taste.
Visitors are promised hands-on experiences from candle rolling to exploring inside a virtual hive as well learning all about how honey bees think and feel from one of the guest lecturers.
To find out more go to www.wiltshirebeekeepers.co.uk
Entry is free to all.
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