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At Sky Park Farm we really love honey! So much so, we have built our very own observation beehive. 

This unique design of the observation beehive was crafted in collaboration with David, our beekeeper, and John, our talented carpenter. The design is similar to a natural – or straw skep – hive to allow the queen freedom to move around anywhere in the hive. A complex construction to ensure appropriate ventilation and mitigate swarming. Access to the hive for the bees to forage is designed to mirror a natural environment and to ensure the bees could set up a routine – they get frustrated and ill tempered without one! A beehive consists of twelve brood frames – six occupied by bees and six with a wax foundation for the bees to draw into cells where, together with forage collected, they will fill with nectar in readiness for winter. 

Cold filtered and additive free Sky Honey is produced in an established apiary on the estate. Sky Honey is not blended or heated and may crystallise, which is a natural process of pure honey. The combination of the nectar collected during the season gives the taste significant depth. The apiary is growing, with plans afoot for new hives across the farm. The Farm Shop also supplies honey from a number of ethical beekeepers within the South Downs National Park. 

Honey Facts

• Bees are industrious! It takes 7kg of honey to produce 1kg of wax 
• To produce a 227g jar a honeybee has to fly 1.5 times around the earth
• Honeybees forage up to 2km from the hive – up to 1200 hectares
• One teaspoon of honey = 64 calories
• Honey is a source of antioxidants 
• Honey is renowned for helping with digestive problems, balancing cholesterol, has natural antibacterial and antifungal properties used for treatment of burns, wounds, and foot ulcers and helps to soothe sore throats and coughs 
• Local honey is often used as a remedy for hay fever and other allergies and can be used to relieve dermatitis
• In ancient Egypt, honey was the most popular medicament and mentioned 500 times in the known 900 remedies.  It was also used in medieval medicines to make them more palatable