Local Honey Boxley

Raw, unpasteurised Kentish honey from Hayes Honey, John and Deb Hayes's family beekeeping business at Boxley, near Maidstone.

John and Deb decided to keep bees after a talk during a family day out at Hole Park in Cranbrook, meaning to keep just one hive. A first season of swarms, lost queens and no honey sent them to books, seminars and the local beekeeping clubs, and the hobby has since grown into several apiaries across mid Kent.

Each apiary's honey is sold separately. The Boxley bees sit 186 metres up on the North Downs between Boxley village and Blue Bell Hill, surrounded by arable farmland, and give a light, sweet honey – the spring crop is oilseed rape, which sets quickly. There are also honeys from Lenham, from Barty Farm at Bearsted and from a newer apiary at Hucking, plus a soft-set honey. The honey is spun from the comb, passed through a coarse and a medium filter and left to settle, with nothing added.

Hayes Honey also makes hand-poured 100% beeswax candles, sells five-frame nucleus colonies and runs introduction-to-bees days at the home apiary in Boxley, with a hands-on hive inspection. Honey and candles can be ordered online.