Leeds Honey

Bruno · Post by **Bruno** » Mon 27 Feb, 2012 3:03 pm

Bruno wrote: There's a load of hives at Templenewsam, they might sell some honey in the Templenewsam gift shop? An update to my previous post which has uncovered a bit of a mystery!We visited Templenewsam yesterday for the first time in a while.The hives are still there, it's the Leeds Beekeepers Association.We went in to the cafe (not the shop) afterwards, and there on a shelf were some little jars with a sign saying 'Brand New! Temple Newsam Honey!' (Very expensive at £4.45 for an 8 ounce jar).When looked at head-on, the label on the jar appears to say 'Temple Newsam Estate' and beneath that and a picture of the House 'Honey', so you assume it's made by the bees on the farm. However, the label is misleading, the jars aren't circular but made in a multi-angular shape, and when you read, as it were, 'round the corners' of the label, the full wording is 'Temple Newsam Estate Shop / Pure Yorkshire Honey'.Some 'small print', reading vertically on the edge of the label, says Headley Hall Farm, Hall Lane, LS18 5JG. This is where things get a bit muddied for me. Hall Lane is the road around Hall Park in Horsforth. It's not an area I'm familiar with, but on Google Earth it appears to be mostly residential. Google search reveals that here is a Headley Hall Farm, in fact there are two, one is in Bramham LS24, the other is in Bradford at address Headley Lane, Thornton, BD13 3LY.So what's going on here? Do any of our Horsforth colleagues know of any beehives in Horsforth? Is Headley Hall Farm merely a business name unconnected with the farm of that name? I'm confused, but one thing I do know is that I think the Tempsy people are pulling a fast one with the labelling on their jars.(Off topic, I'm pleased to report that the charges for admission to the farm have been slashed, now £1 for an adult, with 20p off for Leeds Card Holders.)

Tasa · Post by **Tasa** » Mon 27 Feb, 2012 4:53 pm

I don't think the "farm" exists as such, but the postcode is the registered address of the Leeds Beekeepers Association, which I found, appropriately enough, in LocalBuzz!http://www.local-buzz.co.uk/business/le ... on/1926419

Bruno · Post by **Bruno** » Mon 27 Feb, 2012 6:11 pm

Thanks Tasa, so given that the Leeds Beekeepers Association hives are at Templenewsam, it's possible that the honey is genuinely from there, and the Hall Lane address is the registered office or whatever for the LBA's trading activities. Still doesn't explain the words Headley Hall Farm though, which as I say does exist, but nowhere near Horsforth.

Tasa · Post by **Tasa** » Mon 27 Feb, 2012 7:42 pm

Sorry, yes, I meant that the farm doesn't exist at the postcode location.

book · Post by **book** » Mon 27 Feb, 2012 8:04 pm

Bramham is showing a Headley Hall Farm

Jogon · Post by **Jogon** » Mon 27 Feb, 2012 9:04 pm

Meanwood Valley Urban Farm have sold out of their own. But seehttp://www.mvuf.org.uk/animals/bees/You do have to take care on labelling, bought some nice looking Littleover Apiaries stuff (the do English) but this was EU for English price.Some years ago I caught most of a radio 4 prog which featured the men from the ministry testing honey samples. Fascinating (or is it me who's boring?) stuff. They were able to identify by the pollens it contained and so eg - one batch of Chilean Organic clearly wasn't. Same with some Chinese stuff and also showed whether folks were just adding sugar etc.

Leodian · Post by **Leodian** » Mon 27 Feb, 2012 9:16 pm

It looks like Menwith Hill domes in the background in the second photo brought up through Jogon's link. If I am right then the Meanwood Valley Urban Farm bees overwinter in hives on the moors near Menwith Hill. That seems like a potentially very cold place to put the hives, so I assume the bees must go into hibernation. If so I wonder how many survive it?

Jogon · Post by **Jogon** » Fri 14 Sep, 2012 8:35 pm

The wasp thread reminded me - beekeepers report it has been an awful year for the bees and honey.70% down on usual.

leedslily · Post by **leedslily** » Fri 14 Sep, 2012 11:14 pm

At the Kirkstall abbey monthly deli markets (last Saturday of each month from about March to October) there's usually a stall selling honey and other related products - can't remember exactly, but I think they're based in Horsforth.