It is 100% natural. It has a negligible carbon footprint and the way it is produced has a positive impact on the environment. You can buy it in jars in Grenfell’s in Crickhowell High Street and refill the jars from Natural Weigh, who now sell it in bulk. It is Llangattock Honey.

As the bee flies, the hives are less than half a mile away at Llangattock Apiaries’ base near the River Usk. They are tended by Anthony Smith, who also sells jars of Llangattock Honey at Crickhowell Market Hall. “This is truly local food,” he says, “It is 100% natural and produced just down the road.   It has minimal carbon footprint – even our labels are made locally. Local honey is good for local people who suffer from hay fever and the bees are essential for plant reproduction because they pollinate the plants all around us. Bee populations are also declining, so what we are doing is helping keep the bees going too.”

Llangattock Apiaries have 70 local hives and more in Bwlch and Monmouthshire. By next year, they hope to have 300 hives in all, producing as much as 10 tonnes of honey, 2-3 tonnes of which is destined for local markets. They sell in 8, 12 and 16oz jars and are looking into providing individual portions for hotels and Bed and Breakfast providers, which can be rebranded with the establishment’s name.

Their jars sell for between £4 and £6 a jar. This is more expensive than supermarket honey, but to compare the two is wrong, says Anthony. “Supermarket honey is often a blend of different honeys from all over the place and it doesn’t have the same nutritional value of our honey which is the product of a single set of hives just down the road from Crickhowell. Our honey is straight out of the hive and into the jar within 24 hours. What could be better than that?”

Article by Tim Jones, As You See It Media

Llangattock Honey

• Locally Grown Produce