If you think summer is busy for you, spare a thought for the bees.

From June through to August, a honeybee colony is at its most active. The queen is laying up to 2,000 eggs a day, the hive population can swell to 60,000 bees or more, and the foragers are out from dawn to dusk making the most of every flower in bloom. It's the most exciting time of year in the apiary, and for us at Happy Valley Honey, it's the season we work towards all year long.

What's in bloom?

Summer brings some of the most exciting forage of the year. June marks the start of the borage season, when bees feast on the delicate starflower crops across Cheshire and beyond.Borage produces one of our most distinctive honeys, light, runny, and faintly citrusy, and it's only available for a short window each year. Alongside borage, bees are foraging from wildflowers, hedgerows, and garden blooms, all of which contribute to our Blossom Honey.

What are the beekeepers doing?

Summer isn't a quiet time for Paul and the team either. Regular hive inspections are essential to monitor the health of each colony, check for signs of swarming, and make sure the queen is laying well. Managing swarms is one of the biggest challenges of the season. When a colony gets too big, the old queen leaves with half the bees to find a new home. It's a natural process, but one that needs careful management to keep the hives healthy and productive.

When does the harvest happen?

The main summer harvest typically takes place in July and August, once the bees have had time to ripen and cap the honey. At Happy Valley, we never rush this process. Cold-extracted and coarsely filtered, our honey is taken only when it's ready, preserving every bit of natural goodness the bees have worked so hard to produce.

By the time the heather comes into bloom on the Peak District moorlands in late summer, the bees are gearing up for one final, spectacular harvest before the season starts to wind down.

Summer really is something special in the world of beekeeping. And if you'd like to see it for yourself, there's no better time to visit us at the apiary.

Here's to long days, busy bees, and the best honey of the year.