One hive, then three
Three Hives Honey is a first-year beekeeping business in Lauderdale, in the Scottish Borders.
We began with one hive and a lot to learn. By the end of our first year we had three, which we never planned, and the name found itself.
We are keeping this year's first harvest, so there is no honey for sale yet. What we have is a plan: small batches of raw, unfiltered honey, jarred in 227g and 340g sizes, sent out across the UK and sold at local markets and in a few local shops.
Learning from other beekeepers
As members of the Borders Beekeepers Association (opens in a new tab), we’ve had excellent training and the support of some great mentors. Beekeeping is a craft where you never stop learning, and the bees are still teaching us something new every time we open a hive. If you’ve ever thought about keeping bees of your own, we’d strongly recommend their courses.
Why small batches
With a handful of hives, every jar comes from bees we know by their hive number. Small batches let us take the honey off when it is ready rather than when a schedule says so, and jar it as it is.
Follow along
The journal tracks the year as it happens. You can also find us on Instagram (opens in a new tab) and Facebook (opens in a new tab) to see how the hives get on and when honey is ready to sell.