What is local honey?
Local honey is honey which is from hives close to you. I would say that the apiaries (places where hives are located) should be no more than 20 miles from where you live for them to count.
Why choose it?
Many hayfever suffers choose to buy honey which is near to them because it contains the local flower pollen. My Wantage based customers tell me that consuming my honey helps to relieve their symptoms.
Also, small-scale beekeepers really care about their bees and the quality of the honey they sell. The honey from single-man operations are almost certainly unpasteurised and course filtered, so all those lovely enzymes and pollen are left in the jar for you.
Beware of the bigger producers who can afford the equipment to over-process the honey. And imported honey is often irradiated to protect our bees from American Foul Brood!
Buying from a small-scale producer helps to keep their businesses going, and they are always keen (well I am) to talk about their bees and what they are up to in their apiary.
Local honey -where to find it?
I have written a short guide on where to find local honey near me, but in summary here is what I wrote.
- Look out for ‘honey’ signs fronting gardens by roadsides – driving through suburbia and surrounding villages can yield results. Often beekeepers sell their honey from their homes, so don’t be afraid to knock on the door.
- Neighbourhood and small scale retailers sell honey. Examples included farm shops, independent garden centres, and service stations.
- Online community groups probably know beekeepers close to you.
- Go to your favourite search engine (this is probably what you have just done) and type ‘honey near me’.
Conclusion
Now you know what local honey is, why you should choose it, and where to find it – I wish you luck in your quest to find some.
Please consider browsing my online shop and thank-you for taking the time to read this article.
P.S. You can find me on Instagram 🙂
We sell Wantage honey which is local honey.
