Local Honey Buckingham

English honey from British Honey Producers, a family bee-farming business based at Oakfield Honey Farm in Steeple Claydon, near Buckingham. Ged Marshall built the farm in 1985 and set up the company in 1995; his daughter Rebecca and her husband Kai are now directors alongside him.

This is a commercial bee farm. The bees are Buckfast honey bees, moved around the area for crop pollination, and the honey is sold in anything from a 227g jar to tonnes at a time. The jarred range has two main honeys: Summer Clear, from hedgerow, woodland and wildflower forage in July and August, and Spring Soft Set, from the oilseed rape and the cherry, apple and plum orchards the bees work between March and May. The honey is settled rather than pasteurised or heavily heat-treated, and bulk honey – usually oilseed rape, summer borage and mixed summer honeys – comes in 32–33lb buckets straight from the extractor. They also make Original Chilli Honey: English honey slow-infused with red chilli, jalapeño, chipotle or scotch bonnet.

Jars are stocked by farm shops, butchers, delis and village stores across north Buckinghamshire, including Boycott Farm Shop and Smith & Clay in Buckingham, Padbury Meats, Mursley Farm Shop, Hogshaw Farm and the shops at Waddesdon Manor and the Ascott Estate. Restaurants, breweries, bakeries and hamper companies can buy wholesale or in bulk; smaller bulk orders can be collected from the farm and larger ones delivered by freight.

Rebecca, the UK's first bee farming apprentice, runs beekeeping experiences and introductory beekeeping courses at the farm. Ged is a former chairman of the Bee Farmers' Association.