The Annual Hampshire BKA Honey Show and the HBA Autumn Convention took place on Sunday 1st October 2023 at Sparsholt College and will be held again on Sunday 6th October 2024.
Honey Show Hints and Tips for entering this year’s honey show
Past Honey Show & Convention
The schedule for the 2023 Honey Show included an exciting new class – “Class 35 Beekeepers’ Choice: one jar of honey, light, medium or dark, crystallised or soft set” While the experienced honey show judges examined and tasted their way through the honey classes, the entries in this new class were displayed anonymously outside the show room to allow beekeepers to vote for their personal favourite based purely on taste. The winner received a book of their choice from a selection available in the HBA Library.
Please head to the members area and click on the Eventbrite link for the new Schedules and Entry Forms for this year’s Honey & Convention Show 2024
What made this a great day out?
Beekeepers brought their entries between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. on 1st October or, if preferred, between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday 30th September. After staging entries, they could grab a coffee and chat to beekeeping friends. After a welcome at 9 a.m. the rest of the morning was taken up with talks and workshops while the honey show judges worked along the show benches. The show benches opened for viewing once the judges had completed their deliberations. There were more talks and workshops in the afternoon.
Speakers included Stewart Spinks who creates the Norfolk Honey Company videos, and Dan and Ken Basterfield, co-authors of the Healthy Hive Guide, Apideas Guide from Blackbury Honey Farm.
Workshops covered making mead, production of wax, and preparing for a better season.
There was a mini-exhibition about Charles Butler, author of ‘The Feminine Monarchie’ 400 years ago, as well as various stalls and displays. Avril brought a selection of new and old books from the HBA library.
HBA subsidised the ticket price for its members. Entering the Honey Show was free, but most opted to linger for the whole day to listen to these superb speakers, go to workshops, browse displays and stalls and chat with other like-minded beekeepers.