So, a week later and all the buzz from Harrow-in-Leaf 2014 has died away.

Despite the heavy rain on the Monday (it was Bank Holiday – what did we expect??) I think a good time was had by all.

Nascot Wood Bees – in the form of Doreen – entered no less than 17 classes, ranging from honey to poetry, candles to cakes. The “highlights” were sharing joint first in the “display” class (see our earlier post ), getting “best candle” for the moulded, twisted candles, and receiving “people’s choice” award for the “Shakespeare” display (though nothing to do with bees or honey!)

People’s choice display – William Shakespeare 

The hoped-for prize for mead didn’t materialise but prizes were won in all the honey classes, as well as “other food incorporating honey” (figs in honey), beeswax polish, and the poem.

We were at the show both days, (well, you have to be really to setup and take down) but spent plenty of time enjoying the displays, helping out with stewarding and sales – and not a little time capturing the myriad of local bees who also chose to “visit” the show. These got a little out-of-hand at times, with some managing to get into the display frames and robbing honey, others getting drunk on dribbles of mead from where bottles had been opened for judging. However, whilst they came back in as quickly as they were ejected, as far as I know no-one came to harm – either bee or human.