Why We Only Sell Raw Honey (And What That Really Means)
At Eden Honey Bees we produce small batches of raw honey from our apiary sites around Myddle in North Shropshire.
One of the questions we hear most often is: what exactly is raw honey?
The word “raw” appears on many jars now, but it isn’t always explained very clearly. In simple terms, raw honey is honey that has not been heat treated or heavily processed after it is taken from the hive.
At Eden Honey Bees, all of the honey we sell is raw, unpasteurised honey. It is extracted from the comb, gently filtered to remove small pieces of wax, and then jarred. Nothing else is done to it.
That’s how we harvest honey for ourselves, and it’s how we believe honey should be enjoyed.
What Raw Honey Actually Means
When honey is described as raw, it generally means it has not been pasteurised or ultra-filtered.
After extraction from the frames, the honey is simply strained to remove small bits of wax and debris before being jarred. No heat is used and the honey is not blended or heavily filtered.
Because of this, raw honey still contains the natural enzymes, trace pollen and microscopic particles that are normally present in honey straight from the hive.
It also means the honey keeps the flavour and character created by the flowers the bees have been visiting.
Why Raw Honey Crystallises
One thing that often surprises people is that raw honey naturally crystallises over time.
This is completely normal and simply reflects the natural balance of sugars in honey. Some honeys crystallise quickly, while others stay runny for longer depending on the plants the bees were foraging from.
If you prefer runny honey, the jar can be gently warmed in warm water and it will return to a liquid state.
Honey Should Reflect the Season
One of the things we value most about raw honey is that it changes through the year.
The colour, flavour and texture of honey depend entirely on what the bees have been collecting nectar from. In North Shropshire this can include blossom, hedgerow flowers, clover, lime and many other sources depending on the season.
Because of that, each batch of honey is slightly different. Some are lighter and more floral, while others are darker and richer.
For us, that variation is part of the appeal. It reflects the landscape and the time of year in which the honey was produced.
How We Handle Honey at Eden Honey Bees
All of our honey is harvested from colonies across our apiary sites in North Shropshire.
When the honey is ready, we extract it from the comb, strain it to remove wax particles, and jar it. We do not heat, blend or ultra-filter the honey.
Because we produce honey in small batches, each jar reflects the season and the forage available to the bees at that time.
The aim is simply to keep the honey as close as possible to how it came from the hive.
When Our Honey Is Available
Honey production in the UK is highly seasonal, and the main honey flow can be surprisingly short.
Most of the honey we harvest comes during a limited window in late spring and summer when nectar flows are strong. Outside of that period, colonies are usually building stores for themselves rather than producing surplus honey.
Because we only harvest what the bees can comfortably spare, the quantities we produce each year are quite small. Once a batch has sold, there is often a wait until the next harvest.
That’s simply the nature of small-scale beekeeping and seasonal honey production.
Where to Find Our Honey
When jars are available, you can usually find our honey through:
- our online shop, for local delivery or collection
- our village honesty box in Myddle
- a small number of local stockists
You can see our current list of stockists here:
You can also see which honeys are currently available in our shop:
Availability changes throughout the season depending on the harvest.
A Simple Approach to Honey
For us, selling raw honey isn’t really a marketing decision. It’s simply the most straightforward way to handle honey after it is harvested.
The bees do the hard work. Our job is mainly to care for the colonies and make sure the honey reaches the jar with as little interference as possible.