BBKA

• Roasted garlic and honey sprout slaw

  With the last of this season’s sprouts, make this delicious roasted garlic and honey dressed slaw. Roast a whole head of garlic for about an hour until the cloves are soft and a medium brown – a longer roast will give the dressing a deeper, more caramel flavour. Once the garlic is ready, the dressing comes together in minutes. It’s wonderfully versatile, great for raw salads or for dressing cooked vegetables, and it keeps well too – make a large batch and store it in the fridge for later. This salad brings together crunchy veg, a smooth, savoury and sweet dressing with pops of freshness from apple and pomegranate. The honey rounds everything out, softening the garlic’s intensity and bringing the whole dish into balance. Servings:  4 - 6           Preparation:  20 minutes + 1 hour roasting Ingredients 1            Head of garlic 1 tbsp    Honey...

• Interested in the fascinating hobby of beekeeping?

  Early spring is when many of the branches affiliated to the British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) start to run beginner’s courses for new beekeepers looking to take their first steps.  If you are interested in taking up the fascinating hobby of beekeeping you will no doubt have lots of questions and we aim to provide some of the answers to help you find out exactly what might be involved. Most branches also run ‘Taster Days’ which are ideal for gaining a basic understanding of what is involved in beekeeping.  These, together with 'Introduction to Beekeeping' courses, enable you to find out whether beekeeping is for you before making any further commitments.  Keeping bees healthy and productive requires knowledge and skill. Beekeeping is made much easier by belonging to a local BBKA Association where you will be given advice, tuition and support. Joining a group that is linked to the BBKA provides: Support, mentoring and practical...

• YLAH Monitoring for 2026

  Concerned by the continuing threat of the invasive, non-native Yellow-legged Asian Hornet the British Beekeepers' Association is urging everyone to stay alert, get informed and be ready to report any sightings. This time of year can start to see the emergence of Yellow-legged Asian hornet queens from hibernation. After a record number of sightings in 2025 we need everyone to remain vigilant for new nests. Spring vigilance and early destruction of small nests can help protect pollinators.        Photo credit:  John De Carteret  Queens need to feed quickly after coming out of hibernation, flowers such as Camellias are popular. Small nests, often starting the size of a golf ball and growing to the size of a melon can appear in dry outbuildings. Take a photo of the nest with an insect on it (if safe to do so) and please report.   Defra and the Fera Science Ltd have identified areas where there may be a higher risk of overwintering Yellow-legged Asi...

• In memory of mum, Catherine Brindley

  My mum passed away on the 10th of January 2026. As today is her cremation, I’m setting up this fundraiser to honour her in a way I knew she’d love. She’s always loved bees, so much so that she let a nest of them live in our chimney for nearly 20 years. She only had them removed because honey started leaking through our walls! But where she could’ve paid a few hundred to have them terminated, she paid a few thousand to have them safely removed and relocated, which just shows how much she cares. Any donations made in her memory are greatly appreciated, and thank you to everyone for celebrating her life, and reflecting on the impact she’s had on all of us.

• Nutty Dream Slice

  These irresistible bars bring together a crisp pastry base with a chewy, nut packed coconut topping. Loosely inspired by the rich coconut and brown sugar layer of Danish drømmekage (dream cake), this traybake uses honey with plenty of toasted nuts. The result is a moreish slice that’s perfect as an afternoon or lunchbox treat.  Nutmeg isn’t essential, but if you’ve got some to hand, a generous pinch makes all the difference — its aromatic warmth gives the bars extra depth. Servings:   16 squares              Preparation & Cooking:  1 hour. Ingredients 200g    Plain Flour 225g    Butter 30g      Icing Sugar 5           Eggs 200g    Honey 100g    Desiccated coconut 300g    Mixed nuts Pinch Salt Pinch grated Nutmeg Tip:  Chop nuts finely for a neater slice; larger pieces add bite but make the bar...