I really should have known better. Twelve thriving hives, with ten that I could take honey from. WHY did I think I could manage to extract it all in two days, with a four frame honey spinner? I had over 100 frames to take honey from; the most I have ever had.
In the end, it took 3 of us 24 hours in total to even get it into honey buckets, ready to be poured. My feet were killing me, not to mention my arms. We were exhausted but we managed to finish by 8pm on day two.
Then, it started to set before I could get it in to jars! Nightmare, but all my own doing.
Next year, I'm hiring a 9 frame electric spinner, an electric heated uncapping knife and I may treat myself to an apimelter - amazing piece of kit.
After some seriously hot and hard work, all of the honey is now jarred up, the labels are going on and my lovely customers are getting deliveries of fresh honey.
You can find fresh Penshurst Honey in the following places:
Chiddingstone Stores - The Shop – The Tulip Tree Chiddingstone
The Rock Inn Chiddingstone Hoath - HOME (therockchiddingstone.com)
The Castle Inn Chiddingstone - Home | My Site (thecastleinnchiddingstone.com)
The Leicester Arms Penshurst - The Leicester Arms (theleicesterarmspenshurst.co.uk)
The Plough and Barn at Leigh - The Plough - Traditional Independent Pub offers local ales & food (theploughatleigh.com)
Groombridge Farm Shop Online Farm Shop in Kent | Click & Collect | Groombridge Farm Shop
Four Elms Garden Centre Garden Cafe - Our Story — The Garden Cafe (fourelmsgardencafe.co.uk)