Local Honey Worcester

Raw honey from hives in the grounds of St Peter's Garden Centre at Norton, on the south-east edge of Worcester, sold as Poppy's Farm Honey. The hives were added to the garden centre's nature trail as part of Poppy's Farm, its animal and wildlife area, and are kept by local beekeeper Steven Wall, who puts his name on every jar.

In early spring the bees work the site's trees, hedgerows and meadows, blackthorn, pussy willow and dandelion, moving on later to hawthorn, red clover, willowherb, balsam, lime and wildflower meadows on site and in nearby villages. The honey is hand-harvested and cold-extracted, and strained rather than finely sieved so the pollen stays in; there is also a soft-set honey, creamed with nothing added. Steven uses no chemical varroa treatments and leaves the bees enough of their own honey for the winter.

The honey is sold in Blake's Farm Shop at the garden centre, which is open seven days a week.