As we come towards the end of September we also mark the end of the beekeeping year. The wet Spring was a real challenge to gardeners and beekeepers alike. Plants and insects just seemed to sit and wait for signs of Spring, but they never really came. The impact on pollinators and insects in general has been much reported, with record low numbers of butterflies for example and, from our own experience, a very slow build up of bee colonies. Even when a form of summer arrived it was clear that colonies were struggling. As a result, honey stores are low, to the extent that we are leaving the majority of this year’s honey crop with the bees to ensure they are as strong as possible and ready for the coming winter.
There was however a bright end to the summer season. That came with the fields of beautiful blue borage.
Borage honey remains my favourite single crop honey. Visually it is clear and light, most notable when compared to a regular summer season honey. From a taste perspective it has a lovely light tang to it and due to its composition it doesn’t start to set for upwards of a year. I have it available from my shop here.
