It’s a Wrap!

That’s a wrap on our bee keeping courses, the honey is finally gathered in and this has definitely been my biggest honey harvest so far. A good job too as we’ve just won another Great Taste Award for our Brentford Honey – Hurrah!

One hive alone produced over 50kg, that’s 200 jars worth, and we have ten colonies located throughout three apiaries in Brentford.

Over this year’s season, we welcomed 56 guests on Full Day Bee Keeping,  85 guests on Bees for Children and taught a total of 540 pupils from nine London schools and education groups all about our honey bees. We’ve had a great time and have already scheduled the first dates for our bee keeping sessions in 2027 – why not join us next time?

To celebrate the start of their new season, Brentford Football club bought 80 gift sets for their Premium lounge to give out at the first home game. We thought that they were so nice, we’ve got them available on our website here. Honey comb rounds and candles will also be available soon, as always, they make beautiful gifts.

 

As we wring out the last drops of summer, we look ahead to a term of making Bread and Cheese.

Both Introduction to Making Bread and Introduction to Making Cheese have always been some of our most popular courses, and we’ve taken the skills to a whole different level for a very special TWO DAY course Making Cheddar, Stilton & Sourdough. Throughout the two days, allowing hard cheeses to press and sourdoughs to ferment overnight, we make:

Dairy:

• Farmhouse Cheddar (approx 850g)
• Stilton Style Blue (approx 850g)
• Burrata
• Handmade Butter
• Cheese Waxing Demonstration

Grain:

• Spelt & Rye Sourdough
• Seeded Tin Sourdough
• Sourdough Focaccia
• Sourdough Crumpets
• Whey Soda Bread
• Buttermilk Scones

Have you ever wanted to make your own cheese for the Christmas cheeseboard? Then this is the place to start!

Making Cheddar, Stilton & Sourdough Wednesday 16th and Thursday 17th September (Two Day Course)

Become a Bread Angel

If bread is your passion, we are running another course of Become a Bread Angel – Start your own Micro Bakery on Tuesdays 6th + 13th October (Two Day Course). This course teaches both bread making and business skills to start your own bakery, no matter how small, and includes full support to see you established and selling your products.

Over the years, I’ve trained Bread Angels throughout the UK and beyond to Italy, Malta, Saudi and the USA. For more details, see here.

Coming up at Hen Corner:

September

Urban Hens – Keeping Chickens in London Wednesday 2nd

Introduction to Pickles & Preserves Tuesday 8th

Making Cheddar, Stilton & Sourdough Wednesday 16th and Thursday 17th (Two Day Course)

Pasta Together Saturday 19th

Introduction to Making Bread Tuesday 22nd

Introduction to Making Cheese Wednesday 30th

October

Family Feathers & Fun Saturday 3rd

Become a Bread Angel – Start your own Micro Bakery Tuesdays 6th + 13th (Two Day Course)

Making New Cheeses Wednesday 14th

Pasta Together Tuesday 27th

Introduction to Making Cheese Wednesday 28th

November

Making New Cheeses Wednesday 11th

Making Christmas Food Gifts Tuesday 17th

Introduction to Scandinavian Baking Thursday 19th November

Making Christmas Puddings – Stir Up Sunday Sunday 22nd

Making Linen Christmas Crackers Monday 23rd

Other news:

• There was a gap in the almond netting and the squirrels took every one! I must fix it for next year.
• Sadly Butternut, our Buff Orpington hen, died earlier this month. We were amazed that she managed so well, especially being blind for her last year.
• We were thrilled to win another two Great Taste Awards last month, one for our Brentford Honey and one for our Garden Piccalilli (which we will be making soon!)

Jobs for the week:

• Screw in supporting wires to shape our plum and apricot trees as fans against the fence
• Start filtering this years bee wax to make candles
• Transplant the brassicas into the beds at the allotment, now that we’ve had some rain!

With September starting next week, have you got plans for the new season?

I hope to see you soon,

Sara