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| If you do pop into Larkins the range of bottled beers is definitely worth a look too :) |
The blog of an urban beekeeper, in Hull, former UK City of Culture.
Showing posts with label Craft Fair. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Craft Fair. Show all posts
Wednesday, 29 November 2017
Going to the Pub!
Been a little too busy to update the site lately, however the bees have also had a busy year and the honey crop is in! I shall be at Larkins Bar on Saturday 2nd December 12:00-17:00 selling honey, ticture, honey dippers and polish. That's to the miraclke of technology I also accept card and contactless payments too :-)
Tuesday, 3 January 2017
Vintage Makery Do Winter Craft Fair 2016
I'm a little late writing this one up but Saturday 26th November 2016 was the third Vintage Makery Do, organised once again by Vintage Cafe on Chanterlands Avenue -the place for gluten free food and top notch frothy coffee, they have an Instagram feed too. Each time the event seems to be growing with more stalls. On arrival I was greeted by a large polar bear wearing a hat and holding a box. The bear wasn't alone, inside the hall there was what I'm fairly sure was a King Penguin with a chick.
I didn't get time to check out all the other stalls but once again Koh-Koh Chocolates was there, and helped unload my car -cheers! :) I tried a sample of dark chocolate and sour cherry which sold out very quickly. In fact trade was so brisk by the time I took a picture a lot had sold out
I'm not sure how long Bricknell Brewery has been around but I've noticed their distinctive brown labelled bottles appear on the bar at 80 Day Beer Haus a while ago. It's a local microbrewery with a range of beers including a number of Pale Ales but also a Chocolate Porter, a Russian Stout and a Victorian era Ale. Making 120-140 litre batches they even grow their own hops, the beer is bottle conditioned and made without finings -which means this beer is all vegan friendly. I came away with an Anchor Pale Ale, a Double Anchor IPA, a Saazy Blonde and a Cascade Pale.
I brought along a few jars of honey, beeswax polish, propolis salve and propolis tincture. I've also recently sourced some honey dippers so I brought those along too, I didn't sell many of those but they had an aesthetic value and I gave a couple away to people who made larger purchases. Speaking of aesthetics I also plonked a super and a hive tool on the table.
I have a good time, saw a few friends and of course sold a lot of honey :) I didn't get many stall pictures this time as I was one of the last people to set up and it was a busy day. As well as being a fun event and an opportunity for sales the event raised £100 for Hull Animal Welfare too so winners all round.
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| Greetings and Salutations |
I didn't get time to check out all the other stalls but once again Koh-Koh Chocolates was there, and helped unload my car -cheers! :) I tried a sample of dark chocolate and sour cherry which sold out very quickly. In fact trade was so brisk by the time I took a picture a lot had sold out
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| Koh-Koh Chocolates' White Chocolate and Raspberry Shards |
I'm not sure how long Bricknell Brewery has been around but I've noticed their distinctive brown labelled bottles appear on the bar at 80 Day Beer Haus a while ago. It's a local microbrewery with a range of beers including a number of Pale Ales but also a Chocolate Porter, a Russian Stout and a Victorian era Ale. Making 120-140 litre batches they even grow their own hops, the beer is bottle conditioned and made without finings -which means this beer is all vegan friendly. I came away with an Anchor Pale Ale, a Double Anchor IPA, a Saazy Blonde and a Cascade Pale.
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| Bricknell Brewery |
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| Local Honey.. |
Friday, 25 November 2016
Tomorrow: Vintage Makery Do
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| Where else would you go on a cold November afternoon? |
Thursday, 2 June 2016
Vintage Makery Do II
Not been posting much recently -been pretty busy with bees really. Some of my stock seem very swarmy and I'm thinking it's possibly due to the swarms I captured last year. Next time I catch swarms I'll possibly requeen them as soon as they're settled. Anyway on Saturday 7th May 2016 was the second Vintage Makery Do organised once again by the top notch Vintage Cafe on Chanterlands Avenue -the place for gluten free cake!.
As before it was in St Ninian's Church on Chanterlands Avenue. When I rolled up to set up my table the weather was warm and there was one of those vintage ice cream reverse tricycles outside selling gelato from Bellissima Delights. I planned to visit that later but didn't get round to it, shall have to watch out for it elsewhere in the city. Last time we'd
I've taken to using fruit crates to carrying my stuff about in. They're very robust and it turns out larger shops and supermarkets just dump them on the pavement till whenever they get picked up -handy to know if you're ever moving house. I'd brought along Clear Honey, Set Honey, Lip Balm, Beeswax Polish and Propolis Salve. I had meant to bring Propolis Tincture too but seem to have forgotten that. I also brought along a Super full of drawn comb -one I'd let the bees clean up so it was dry. As well as providing a visual it was handy to help with explanations when people asked questions about the bees. To finish filling the table out I stuck a bee smoker in a corner of the table, the little one I got at the auction last month. Looking at the late Dave Cushman's encyclopaedic beekeeping site he identifies this style of smoker as having been made in England in the early twentieth century, there could be an antique under that red paint.
To my left was A. Cockerill a chap who makes bespoke furniture. Well he seemed to make pretty much everything really, from egg cups and plates, to pens, tables, cupboards, cabinets and boxes and even the workbench and vice he used. The workbench looked like something out of Skyrim and was clearly more solid than my Work Mate.
Some of the same vendors were there as the previous one including Koh-Koh Chocolates which now has it's own website. Actually I bought a box of his wares just before things started, can definitely recommend them.
There was an interesting display from Uncouth Arts who had some textured pictures, sculpture and I think jewellery -I didn't get a photo but you can to visit the Facebook page for a look. Near to me was Granny's Toybox with a table full of hand knitted toys, painted decorations, candles and curios.
Once customers started wandering in it got pretty busy, sales went so well I ran out of change a couple of times, at one point gave a discounted tin of lip balm in lieu of coinage. When there was a lull I nipped over to A Cockerill's table and bought myself a wooden egg cup -I've kept chickens for years, it was about time I got a smart egg cup.As well as promoting local businesses the event was also to support charity. In total it raised £120 for Hull Animal Welfare so success all round!
As before it was in St Ninian's Church on Chanterlands Avenue. When I rolled up to set up my table the weather was warm and there was one of those vintage ice cream reverse tricycles outside selling gelato from Bellissima Delights. I planned to visit that later but didn't get round to it, shall have to watch out for it elsewhere in the city. Last time we'd
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| Looks like the right place |
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| Made by the Bees and Me |
To my left was A. Cockerill a chap who makes bespoke furniture. Well he seemed to make pretty much everything really, from egg cups and plates, to pens, tables, cupboards, cabinets and boxes and even the workbench and vice he used. The workbench looked like something out of Skyrim and was clearly more solid than my Work Mate.
Some of the same vendors were there as the previous one including Koh-Koh Chocolates which now has it's own website. Actually I bought a box of his wares just before things started, can definitely recommend them.
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| Some of the handmade items from Koh-Koh Chocolate |
There was an interesting display from Uncouth Arts who had some textured pictures, sculpture and I think jewellery -I didn't get a photo but you can to visit the Facebook page for a look. Near to me was Granny's Toybox with a table full of hand knitted toys, painted decorations, candles and curios.
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| Hand painted items from Granny's Toybox |
Thursday, 3 March 2016
Vintage Makery Do II - Advertisement!
Following the success of the Vintage Makery Do in November last year Vintage Cafe on Chants Av (or Chanterlands Avenue if you're from out of town) have organised another one. Also at St Ninian's Church, Chants Ave, Hull, on Saturday 7th May, 2016, from 13:00 to 15:00.
As before it's raising money for Hull Animal Welfare and contributions for the homeless. I think it's going to be in a bigger room this time so you can expect to see a few more stalls than last time too. Save the date!
Tuesday, 3 November 2015
Vintage Makery Do
The excellent Vintage Cafe (purveyors of top notch coffees and gluten free cakes) organised the Vintage Makery Do on the 24th of October at St. Ninians Church on Chanterlands Avenue. Originally built in 1643 that weekend it played host to a variety of art and craft related stalls to raise money for the Hull Animal Welfare and the Homeless. Entry was just 20p per person or a piece of food or clothing for the homeless collection.
Some folks set up the night before but I was working late and was the last to arrive. I'd brought honey, lip balm, beeswax polish, propolis tincture, beeswax, propolis salve and cold process soap. I also lugged in a super of drawn comb just remind people of the bees' contribution and to advertise that I'm a beekeeper -although I suppose it's possible the 45 kilos of honey I dragged in might've been a clue o.O
The event ran from 1pm to 3pm and business was very brisk so I didn't get much chance to look around the other stalls but ones I recall were a gourmet chocolatier preparing for the November launch of Koh-Koh Chocolates, and I can happily tell you he's using quality local honey, near the door was Alternatively Useful showing soy wax candles, For the Love of Kitsch was to my left with a few curios and jewellery versions of everything from newts to elephants, local shop Chance Gifts also had a stall and YoungYarn a local company with a huge Facebook following was there too.
The first person to look at the table was a young girl, I gave her a free lip balm after all it's about charity, then it got busy. Most of my sales were honey in pound jars, about two thirds of that was set honey which I'd made for the first time this year although some people still preferred liquid honey. It's quite possible that some of the honey was made from nectar collected from the gardens of the households it was going back to. After the honey sales came lip balm then soap and a bit of beeswax.
In the two hours the event was open some 400-450 people visited. Some were regulars from Vintage Cafe, others had seen the event on Facebook and quite a few told me they'ed been passing by and seen the sign outside so popped in. After totting up Vintage Cafe had raised £85 for Hull Animal Welfare and a huge 15 bags of food and clothing for the homeless.
Some folks set up the night before but I was working late and was the last to arrive. I'd brought honey, lip balm, beeswax polish, propolis tincture, beeswax, propolis salve and cold process soap. I also lugged in a super of drawn comb just remind people of the bees' contribution and to advertise that I'm a beekeeper -although I suppose it's possible the 45 kilos of honey I dragged in might've been a clue o.O
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| I've set the table |
The event ran from 1pm to 3pm and business was very brisk so I didn't get much chance to look around the other stalls but ones I recall were a gourmet chocolatier preparing for the November launch of Koh-Koh Chocolates, and I can happily tell you he's using quality local honey, near the door was Alternatively Useful showing soy wax candles, For the Love of Kitsch was to my left with a few curios and jewellery versions of everything from newts to elephants, local shop Chance Gifts also had a stall and YoungYarn a local company with a huge Facebook following was there too.
The first person to look at the table was a young girl, I gave her a free lip balm after all it's about charity, then it got busy. Most of my sales were honey in pound jars, about two thirds of that was set honey which I'd made for the first time this year although some people still preferred liquid honey. It's quite possible that some of the honey was made from nectar collected from the gardens of the households it was going back to. After the honey sales came lip balm then soap and a bit of beeswax.
In the two hours the event was open some 400-450 people visited. Some were regulars from Vintage Cafe, others had seen the event on Facebook and quite a few told me they'ed been passing by and seen the sign outside so popped in. After totting up Vintage Cafe had raised £85 for Hull Animal Welfare and a huge 15 bags of food and clothing for the homeless.
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