2019 has been a busy year for our bees at Tilbury Farm. After our first colony swarmed in 2017, we purchased two hives with resident bees and harvested our first crop in 2018. Our honey was in high demand and quickly sold out to our guests, was consumed by our children and featured on the menu of our local pub The Rising Sun in West Bagborough.
Earlier this year we managed to expand our stock through various chaotic swarms and calls from neighbours asking for help. We now have 8 full hives which have provided much work for Matt and my daughter Charlotte. Together they have successfully managed the bees and extracted a large quantity of pure Quantock honey! We are very proud of our product which is extremely delicious.
Our crop is especially rewarding given our efforts over the past few years to plant more wild flower areas on the farm. We now have a lavender hedge along the driveway (using the same variety as Quantock Lavender whose toiletries we stock in the cottages and huts). Our vegetable garden is mainly set aside for cut flowers (for the accommodation) and bee friendly plants. Verbena has self-seeded across the farm as well as bee friendly Buddleia and Echiums which our bees loved last year.
We are in the process of creating a wild nature strip at the southern perimeter of the shepherd hut field and may invest in some additional hives there.
Our jars of honey are for sale to guests. Please ask Matt for more information!
