The Rookery Journal

As temperatures rise in Suffolk, the first blossoms are emerging, hedgerows and trees are leafing out, and our hives are starting to build up their strength again. After the slower winter months, this is a period of steady activity, as bees forage more widely across the surrounding landscape. The result is our spring honey. Lighter in colour and gently floral, it reflects the early forage available at this time of year. Once extracted, it naturally sets to a fine, smooth text

A swarm collected from nearby Woolpit has recently found its new home here at Rookery Farm. Swarming is a natural part of the honeybee year. As a colony grows in strength, part of the hive may leave with a queen to establish elsewhere, a sign of a healthy, active colony, though not always ideal when they settle somewhere unexpected. Once safely collected, the Woolpit swarm was brought back to the farm and carefully housed in a new hive. Here, they can settle, build comb, and

Beekeeping isn't just seasonal work, at Rookery Farm, work all year round to ensure our bees are as happy and healthy as they can be. Through colder months, our colonies are carefully managed to boost their health and resilience. As temperatures rise in the spring, the hive becomes increasingly active, with worker bees foraging across the surrounding landscape, sometimes travelling miles in a single day! By early summer, the hives are at full strength. This is when we begin t