Top prizes at GYS for Skeeby beekeepers
Skeeby beekeepers Andy Wexham and Kay Richardson landed some top prizes in the Hives and Honey Competition at the 165th Great Yorkshire Show this week.
The pair were awarded first prize for their soft set honey and ling heather honey, highly commended for their spring blossom honey in the novice category, second prize for a colony of live bees which were carefully transported to the show and used during the beekeeping demonstrations, and first prize and best preserve and confectionary champion for their honey and lemon curd.
The duo started beekeeping in 2019 and alongside honey, they sell a variety of other natural products using beeswax and honey including lip balms, soaps and candles.
Kay said: “Showing honey isn’t for the faint-hearted; if your honey jar has a scratched lid, the label isn’t straight, the jar is too full or not full enough, or there is honey on the inside of the lid you are marked down immediately.
“When the judges are happy that the presentation is correct, they then look at the quality of the honey, checking the clarity of the honey and for any fragments of pollen or wax in the jar. If you pass this stage, the judge will finally taste the honey.”
The pair say it has been a challenging year for beekeepers so far.
The wet and cold weather in June prolonged the gap between the spring and summer forages and as beekeepers like to leave enough honey in their hives to sustain the bees at all times, spring honey may be in short supply this year.
There is also the constant threat from Asian Hornets which can decimate a honeybee colony in as little as half an hour, so everyone should be aware of this invasive species and if they see one, it should be reported using the Asian Hornet Watch app.
