A Hog Roast Testimonial...

'Andre made a fantastic hog roast, the occasion was our engagement party with a hundred people attending. The cooking started in the morning and by early  evening our garden was filled with wonderful aromas. To accompany the meat, Andre made fantastic salads and dressings, also a delicious homemade chutney. Everyone loved it, even my teenage children... we just need an excuse to have another party now.'

Fiona + Mark

Clapham, South London

Gold from the garden...

Our first proper honey harvest - we've been waiting for this for so long! We got 24 jars in total this time around - super happy... 

Margaret is cutting the white capping off the super frames

nicely does it....

Gold is on its way

Into the spinner...

Stacking up

The best thing I've seen for days - we're all chuffed to bits! I wonder how many miles the bees had to fly to give us all this lovely honey, fascinating stuff. 

Making Sausages!

 I decided it was time to learn how to make sausages... With the help of Ben and Cheryl, Jane and I spent the day making some lovely pork, honey and harrisa home made sausages. Ben and Cheryl made some cracking lamb sausages full of Morrocan spices. Its good to get a better idea of how our butcher puts together our Cardona & Son sausages... Its no mean feat I tell you! 

Grinding the pork cuts... 

Not too much fat... 

Ben adding spices to his lamb sausage mix.

Almost there! 

Lovely stuff! 

The finished product! We were all pretty chuffed with our efforts... Tasty and home made. 

How To Hive A Swarm

The main trick to hiveing a swarms is to get the queen. I try to find the queen. If you know you see her and can make sure she ends up in the box, brush off the stragglers and leave. If you're not sure, then let them settle in.

 It helps if the box smells like lemon grass. Either put some lemongrass essential oil in it. Sometimes they will settle into the box. I just keep shaking them in until the stay. and losts of smoke on branch It usually works. 
They are not looking for an occupied house, they are looking for an empty or abandoned house. Old empty comb sometimes helps. 
Always wear protective equipment. Swarms don't usually get mean, but things are unpredictable.

I love using a skep.

This is a nuc box bees walking in.

Honey on its way! Taking Orders now...

Wow the bees have been working hard! Lots of honey stores coming in so I'm planning on harvesting in the next 2 weeks. I've just come home from moving 2 hives over to Graveley to my new apiary, I have lots of room if anyone out there would like to sponsor a hive or two.... I was geting over-crowded with bees in the garden, I now only have two nucs left which are waiting to be re-homed at a school in Ampthill. I've just got to keep an close eye on them to make sure they're good natured enough before the big move. Can't wait for this honey its going to be cracking!