Products from Spice Island Apiary win silver star in UK Honey Show

Grenada’s flowers have dominated the Chelsea Flower show for more than a decade, and this year the nectar from some of this country’s flowers were awarded a silver star at the well-known and respected Honey Show in the United Kingdom.

A panel of expert judges at the UK’s 81st National Honey Show awarded a Grenadian apiary the prestigious honour of Silver Star in the Clear Class for honey. The Spice Island apiary also received a commendation for the quality of its bee wax candles products.

The apiary received the honours during the week-long event, which is attended by leading commercial suppliers, producers and hobbyists from the United Kingdom and other countries.

This family-owned and operated apiary started two years ago and entered the competition in the most demanding category for honey, open to competitors from around the world.

“While we always believed that our honey was special and the feedback from our patrons was always positive, it is quite another thing to be recognised among the top of the world for the quality of what our bees are producing,” said Dr. Valma Jessamy, who operates the apiary along with her husband.

She said that Jessamine Eden Apiary practises natural organic bee-keeping and only extracts the ripened honey stores from its hives. While it is common practice in the industry to feed bees during the rainy non-flowering seasons – when nectar is rare – the bees here have their own stores until the plants and trees start flowering again.

“Our honey is raw, pure and never heated so that it retains its healing properties with a floral bounty that is easily discerned from the aroma and taste,” said Dr. Jessamy.

Trees in this feed area include gloricida, cutlet, kakoli, galba, mango, campesh, moringa (known as the Tree of Life), Neem, nutmegs, tropical palms, avocado, citrus and local herbs – a virtual harvest for the bees.

“The herbs and flowers here are mostly wild – they’re the kind of ‘bush’ we know are used for all sorts of remedies by our parents – and the bees just love them,” explained Jerry Edwin, Dr. Jessamy’s husband and business partner.

Grenadians will have the opportunity to view and sample the products at an upcoming open day at the apiary, which is located in Granville Vale. (LS)