We have two apiary sites in Epping which gives us beautiful varieties over the summer.In the north the hives are beside the forest and close to the Central Line. The back gardens of Epping hones provide the bees with a good supply of early forage such as crocus and snowdrop, followed by blackthorn and other trees along the underground line. The later summer forage is equally as good with the bees happy to fly a mile or two to source borage. These are the beautiful lavender coloured fields that provide an almost champagne coloured clear honey which is mild and floral in taste.
In the south the bees are next to further fields of borage and also the edge of the forest. This often provides another good source of nectar – blackberry and a massive variety of trees including chestnut and lime. If you can taste citrus in your honey then the bees found the lime when in flower. These hives provide the excellent award winning Haywards Restaurant and Forest Gate pub with their own label honey. We also feature in the book – Essex Feast – supplying the restaurant with honey for their recipes. http://feastpublishing.co.uk/essex-feast