Time to make a bee line for Leisha’s Honey at Maple St Co-Op
Producers name: Leisha Moffat
Business name: Leisha’s Honey
Location: Booroobin
Number of years in operation: 7
Q: In a few words how would you best describe your business?
I would best describe myself as a non-commercial beekeeper. I like to keep it small and manageable.
Q: How did it all begin?
I needed a change of career to fit into the lifestyle I wanted to lead. Working in busy coffee shops for 11 years, I was keen to have a change. We had bought a property at Booroobin, and needed more time to live our dream of permaculture, self-sufficiency and enjoying a stress-free life.
Q: What are your backgrounds/interests?
I worked with my father who is a successful commercial beekeeper a couple of days a week, to learn the skills Mum and Dad have been beekeeping since I was a child, so I feel it was in my blood. I grew up in Glasshouse and went to Maleny High School. I moved to Morayfield, got married and had two children. We lived there for nearly 30 years. So I was so pleased to have bought a property in the area I grew up. I started out with a few hives and it grew, but I was keen to keep it small. I decided to do a beekeeping course in Crystal Waters, to see how a small scale beekeeper does it.
Q: What type of honey do you offer?
As I didn’t want to go down the path of commercial beekeeping, I have my hives at a few different sites, mostly in the hinterland area.
Q: What is your favourite honey and why?
I love Bloodwood honey, as it is a nice rich flavour. But there are so many delicious types of honey, all the eucalyptus honey is so good. Bees don’t only go to the main eucalyptus trees, such as Bloodwood, Bluegum etc. They go where ever there is honey and pollen at the time. They also love garden flowers and herb/veggie flowers, and even weeds!
Q: Why is honey awesome?
Honey is an all-natural plant based product produced by bees from flower nectar. It has so many health benefits including antioxidants and antibacterial properties. Bees produce honey, propolis, wax, royal jelly, and venom which is all so useful. They are incredible little insects!
Q: Where can people purchase your product?
Our honey can be purchased from Maple Street Co-op in Maleny. They sell our honey in 1kg Jars, and squeeze bottles. Also you can bring your own jar to fill from a bulk honey bucket.
Our beeswax is sold there too. Morayfield Produce and the Perma-Poultry Markets at Beerburrum – last Saturday of the Month, from 8am.
Q: Anything else you’d like our readers to know?
I would also like readers to know that growing your own herbs and vegetables and letting some go to flower will encourage bees to your garden to pollinate your veggies and fruit trees.
Beekeeping is not as easy as you might think as there is so much to know about identifying diseases in the hives and also preventing them from swarming.
If you are considering buying a beehive, please do a beekeeping course and join a beekeeping group.
