Edmondsham, Dorset — Est. 2020

A day among the bees

Come and spend time with our family at the hives. Whether you’re a complete beginner or simply curious, you’ll leave with your hands smelling of propolis, your mouth full of raw honey, and a whole new respect for these remarkable creatures.

Book an Experience Day See What’s Included ↓

All equipment provided · Families welcome · Raw honey included · Small groups only

Half day or full day — your choice

Both experiences are hands-on, unhurried, and very much part of how our family works with bees

Half Day · 3 Hours

The Taster

10:00 am – 1:00 pm

The perfect introduction. Three unhurried hours with the bees — learn the essentials, get inside a live hive, and taste honey straight from the comb. A brilliant gift experience.

  • Safety briefing & full beekeeping suit, gloves and veil
  • Introduction to colony life — queens, workers, drones
  • Open a live hive and inspect frames with your beekeeper
  • Learn to use the smoker and hive tools
  • Honey tasting — straight from our Edmondsham hives
  • Q&A with the Davidge family
  • Jar of our raw honey to take home
ยฃ65 per person
Enquire & Book
Full Day · 6 Hours

The Full Day

10:00 am – 4:00 pm

A proper day in the apiary. Work alongside us through the full rhythm of a beekeeping day — from morning inspections to afternoon extraction. Bring a packed lunch and a love of learning.

  • Everything in the Half Day experience
  • Full hive inspections across multiple hives
  • Learn to spot the queen and identify brood patterns
  • Hands-on honey extraction — spin the frames yourself
  • Filtering and bottling — your jar is filled on the day
  • Swarm biology & seasonal management talk
  • Honest advice on starting your own hives
  • Large jar of raw Edmondsham honey to take home
ยฃ110 per person
Enquire & Book
Gift Vouchers Available

Give the gift of bees

Both experiences make brilliant gifts. We’ll send a printed gift certificate with a personal note for any occasion — birthdays, anniversaries, Father’s Day, or just because.

Request a Gift Voucher

Your day, step by step

10:00 am
Arrival & Welcome

Arrive at our apiary in Edmondsham. Meet the Davidge family, have a cup of tea, and get fitted into your beekeeping suit, gloves and veil. We'll talk through what the day holds and answer any questions before we head to the hives.

10:30 am
Introduction to Colony Life

A relaxed walkthrough of how a honeybee colony works — the queen, workers, drones, their roles, communication, and the remarkable social structure inside every hive. We'll show you frames, comb, and equipment up close.

11:15 am
Into the Hive

Hands on the smoker, hive tool in hand — you'll open a live hive and work through the frames alongside us. We'll show you how to spot the queen, read the brood pattern, and assess what the colony needs. You'll feel the warmth of the hive and hear the sound of sixty thousand bees working.

12:30 pm
Honey Tasting & Packed Lunch

A break for your packed lunch with a proper honey tasting — raw Edmondsham honey, different harvests, maybe some comb straight from the frame. The ducks may also appear at this point.

1:30 pm
Extraction & Bottling

The afternoon is practical. You'll help uncap frames, load the extractor, spin the honey out, filter it and pour it into jars. The jar you fill on the day is yours to take home. This is the part that sticks with people.

3:00 pm
Swarms, Seasons & Starting Out

We'll talk through swarm biology, managing hives across the seasons, and — if you're thinking about keeping bees yourself — what it really involves day-to-day. Honest advice from people who've learned the hard way.

4:00 pm
Q&A & Farewell

Open questions, a browse of our equipment, and a chance to pick up extra honey or beeswax products. You'll leave with your jar of honey and a proper appreciation for what these bees are doing.

10:00 am
Arrival & Welcome

Arrive at our apiary in Edmondsham. Tea, introductions, and kitting you out in your beekeeping suit, gloves and veil. We'll explain what we're going to do and make sure everyone's comfortable before we step into the apiary.

10:20 am
Colony Life Explained

A friendly introduction to how a honeybee colony works — caste structure, communication, the annual cycle, and why bees matter. Plenty of time for questions.

11:00 am
Live Hive Inspection

The highlight. You'll open a live hive with us, handle frames, use the smoker and hive tool, look for the queen, and get a real feel for what beekeeping involves. Unhurried, hands-on, and genuinely memorable.

12:15 pm
Honey Tasting & Q&A

Back inside for a proper honey tasting — raw, unfiltered, straight from our hives. We'll answer any remaining questions and send you off with a jar of Edmondsham honey.

1:00 pm
Finish

Head home — or stay for a full day if you've caught the bee bug. We're always happy to convert a half day into a full day booking, subject to availability.

Before you come along

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What to wear Wellies or sturdy lace-up shoes — no open toes. Light coloured clothes under your suit work best. We provide everything else.
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No strong scents Bees are sensitive to perfume and aftershave. Please come without on the day — it makes for a calmer hive.
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Seasonality We run experience days from April through September. Dates are released seasonally — get in touch to hear about upcoming spaces.
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Children We welcome children aged 10 and up when accompanied by an adult. Younger children are sometimes welcome — just ask us first.
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Bee allergy If you have a known bee venom allergy (anaphylaxis), please let us know before booking. Carry your EpiPen if you have one.
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Food For the full day, bring a packed lunch. We'll provide the honey tasting — and possibly tea, biscuits and a general sense of warmth.

Ready to join us?

We keep our groups small — usually no more than four people at a time — so you get proper time with the bees and with us. Drop us a message and we’ll get a date sorted.

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