Don't worry if this happens - it is called granulation and it doesn't mean there's anything wrong with the honey. In fact it is a sign of its purity.
It's still fine to eat, however if you wish to return the honey back to its runny state simply loosen the lid and place it in a saucepan of tepid water until runny again.
Manuka honey is a type of honey which is derived exclusively from the bees that feed on the Manuka plant whereas our honey comes from a variety of nectar sources. Our honey has been known to help with cuts and wounds, colds, hayfever and more. Whilst Manuka honey also helps with these issues, there is limited evidence to suggest that it has many additional benefits, although some studies have shown that it has stronger antibacterial properties.
There is also an increase in fake Manuka honey being sold in recent years. If you do wish to purchase Manuka honey we would suggest researching this properly and keeping in mind that if the price seems very low then it's unlikely to be the genuine product.
Our honey production is small-scale which means we are able to look after our bees as well as produce honey.
We nurture our bees and ensure they have plenty of honey themselves. We also don't use harsh chemicals and we are very mindful of the bees when checking them - taking care not to squash them or overuse the smoker.
By only having a few hives it means we only have small batches of each honey to sell (we sell out of certain types frequently) but the reason we don't increase the numbers of hives is that we are able to give our bees the best care possible if we keep things small.
This is because no two batches of honey are the same! Our bees are all free range, meaning the exact blend of flowers they visit will vary slightly each time. We can say which flowers are likely to be included in each jar (based on what's in season) but the exact mix will always be unique. The honey may also vary a bit from the picture on the website, again because it might be a different batch. The taste also varies slightly for the same reason.
As above, our bees are free range, so we don't have full control over where they go. We don't use any chemicals or pesticides ourselves, but as we can't be sure of exactly where our bees may travel to whilst collecting nectar, we cannot definitely say that our honey is organic. It is as close as it can be within our control though!
Raw honey comes straight from the hive. It's packaged and eaten without adding any heat and without any filtration.
Our honey is filtered gently and warmed slightly in order to allow us to filter and jar the honey. Nothing is added so the honey is 100% pure and holds onto its nutrients and natural enzymes.
Therefore we use the term 'pure honey' as this is still a product which is completely natural, has had nothing added, and hasn't been heated or filtered an excessive amount.
The term 'raw' is often used on honey products which are not truly raw.
As our honey is not mass produced it costs us much more, per jar, to make.
We only produce honey on a small scale and focus on looking after our bees and creating a premium, 100% pure honey in limited quantities.
The taste of our honey is not comparable to many of the cheaper types available and the majority of our customers come back for more once they’ve tried it.
As vegans do not eat animal products, and honey is made by bees, most people who follow a vegan diet/lifestyle do not eat honey.
However, we are aware that some people who usually eat a plant-based diet will eat honey if it is produced in certain ways. Our honey is locally produced in small batches, we always leave enough honey behind for the bees to eat, we are careful and mindful when checking the hives, and our bees are free range. This may make our honey suitable for some people who would not usually eat animal products; of course this is a personal choice.
Some say that eating local honey will help hayfever sufferers, as by ingesting local pollen they are immunising themselves to it somewhat. There are mixed views on this - some claim it works and some claim it does not.
All we can say is that we've had customers tell us our honey has helped them, and also some who have said that lighting our Yorkshire beeswax melts in their homes seems to have helped too.
If stored correctly then honey won't go off, but it will crystalise (this is fine to eat but most people prefer to eat it before this happens).
We do include a best before date on our jars - this tends to be 3 - 4 years in the future (but most customers say their honey doesn't last long at all before it gets eaten anyway!)
Borage simply refers to the flower that the bees have used to make the honey. Sometimes we have a type of honey that is predominately from one crop, such as borage.
This means we've moved our hives onto this crop so the bees can feed on it.
In the case of our other honeys, such as Summer, there is more of a mix of different flowers as the hives haven't been placed on one particular crop and the bees have visited many different nectar sources in the area.
Unfortunately we are not currently able to accept used jars for reuse or recycling, as advised by the BBKA. This is due to the manufacturers of glass jars being unable to guarantee the jars when they've been recycled.
We do encourage you to reuse or recycle these yourself though. Some of the ways people reuse them include: as a sweet jar, to store herbs and spices, to store salad dressing, to fill with loose change, as a pen pot, as a little vase, to fill with fairy lights.
There is only a short amount of time between when you place your order and when we start processing it. If you contact us straight away after ordering, via hello@littleyorkshirehoneyhouse.com we may be able to cancel your order before it’s processed. If not, we’ll despatch your order and then you can return it to us if you wish upon receiving it.
Please email hello@littleyorkshirehoneyhouse.com as soon as possible. If the order has not yet been processed we'll do our best to help with any amendments. If the order has been processed already then it won't be possible to make changes.
In most cases your order will arrive within five working days. Occasionally there are delays out of our control or delivery issues which occur after the parcel has left us. If we know there is an issue we'll always contact you to let you know. Please feel free to email hello@littleyorkshirehoneyhouse.com at any time if you think your order is delayed.
If you selected tracked delivery then your order confirmation will contain a tracking link.
On orders placed via the website we only ship to the UK. However, if you're outside of the UK and would like to order please email us with details of your requested order - depending on the weight of the goods or any restrictions on sending goods to your country, we may be able to accomodate.
Standard delivery costs £3.50 for orders under £50, or is free for orders of £50 or more.
Tracked delviery costs £5.
All orders are sent via Royal Mail if under 2kg (approx 3 jars of honey is 2kg).
Orders over 2kg may be sent via courier.
If you're based in York you may be given the option for £1 or £2 delivery, depending how local you are to us.
Yes, if you selected tracked delivery at the checkout. When we send your order out we'll send you a tracking number. If there's any issue with this then please just email hello@littleyorkshirehoneyhouse.comfor a tracking update.
We send our parcels via Royal Mail or courier, depending on parcel weight, value and contents. Both services tend to take 2 - 3 working days from despatch. If we are ever late despatching your order then we will usually upgrade the delivery method to a 1 - 2 day service to ensure you still receive it on time.
Our full refund policy can be found here.
Our full refund policy can be found here.
Please email hello@littleyorkshirehoneyhouse.com as soon as possible so we can rectify this for you.
This depends on the shipping method that you choose when returning your item. Once we receive your return, we’ll notify you by email. We aim to process refunds within three days after receiving the item, but it can take several days for your bank or credit card provider to process the refund into your account, or onto your card.
Burning beeswax is said to improve and purify air quality as well as benefit those with asthma and environmental sensitivities.
Not only that, but beeswax candles and melts smell beautiful due to the natural aroma of honey and floral nectar (please note this is a subtle smell when the candle is lit).
Beeswax is environmentally friendly, non-toxic and burns 'clean' when done correctly.
Glands on the underside of the bee's abdomen slowly secrete tiny slivers of wax (around eight slivers per 12 hours) for other worker bees to harvest and use to build honeycomb.
Not only is this a very slow process (the slivers of wax are only around the size of a pinhead), but for each pound of beeswax each bee produces, they will have visited over 30 million flowers!
Each batch of beeswax can vary, but the usual smell is a honey/floral scent. It can be quite subtle and is very comforting! Many customers who buy our beeswax candles and metls comment that when opening their parcel they are hit with the most wonderful smell!
Our melts are made from Yorkshire beeswax from our own hives (apart from the melts labelled as Cobble and Hive - these are still Yorkshire wax but not from our own hives).
Our hand-rolled candles are made from high quality pure beeswax sourced in the UK.
Beeswax wraps are the reusable, zero-waste, natural and eco-friendly alternative to cling film and foil. These food wraps are perfect for wrapping sandwiches and other fresh food or for covering bowls. We sell a range of locally made wraps here.
Rinse or wipe with cool water and mild detergent. We recommend once a month the wrap is refreshed by placing in the oven on a lined baking tray for 3 minutes at 100 degrees Celsius.
Beeswax wraps should last at least one year with care. They can then be cut up and put on the compost heap or used as firelighters.
Use to wrap bread, cheese, sandwiches, fruit and vegetables and cover bowls and plates using the warmth of your hands to mould and seal the wrap.
Yes, we do. These are issued electronically by email and each contains a unique reference number. Our gift vouchers are ideal if you’re not sure what to get that special person in your life (or if you need a gift that arrives very quickly!). They can be purchased here.
Yes. We only sell our honey directly to customers via the website, but if you wish to buy in person then we have a small selection of stockists located around Yorkshire. To find out where your nearest stockist currently is just get in touch and we'll let you know (it can vary depending on the time of year).
A bit of trivia for you: the patron saint of beekeeping is Saint Valentine!
We always list the ingredients for all products we make or stock from other suppliers. We also check periodically with our suppliers that the ingredient lists are up-to-date, plus we state on the product listing where we are aware that products containing allergens are made on the same premises.
However (despite best efforts and correct procedures being followed) we are unable to guarantee that products will never come into contact with traces of allergens. For specific queries about particular allergens/products then please get in touch and we will do our very best to help.
