Local Devon Honey: Producers and Where to Buy

Honey is one of the easiest ways to taste a landscape. The wildflowers, hedgerows, and orchard blossom of South Devon all end up in the jar, which is why local honey can vary so dramatically from one valley to the next. Around Totnes and Dartington, a small group of beekeepers produces some of the best honey in the country. Here are the names to know and where to buy them.

Beekeeper John, Dartington

John runs apiaries in Dartington, Littlehempston, Galmpton, and Canonteign, producing pure, unblended, unpasteurised honey that is coarse-filtered and gently warmed only enough to pour into jars. The result is a honey with proper character, varying year to year and apiary to apiary, with real seasonal notes from the surrounding nectar sources. He also raises Devon-bred Buckfast queens and nucleus colonies for other beekeepers, which has helped sustain bee numbers across the region. Jars are sold direct and through a handful of trusted local outlets, with each apiary’s honey usually labelled separately so you can taste the differences.

Buckfast Bees, near Buckfastleigh

The Buckfast strain of honeybee was developed at Buckfast Abbey by Brother Adam in the early twentieth century and is now used by beekeepers worldwide. Local operations near Buckfastleigh continue this tradition, producing honey and supplying queens. Visiting the abbey gardens themselves gives some sense of why the bees thrive here, with the surrounding hills offering a varied and lengthy flowering season. The abbey shop sells honey and other bee products as part of the wider monastic produce range.

Bees in Devon, Moretonhampstead

Bees in Devon, based at Moretonhampstead just inside the Dartmoor border, produces a stunning Dartmoor Wild Flower Honey from hives placed near upland meadows and heathland. The result is darker and more complex than typical hedgerow honey, with notes that shift from clover through heather depending on the season. Available at farm shops and farmers’ markets across South Devon, including outlets near Totnes. The autumn heather harvest is particularly prized, with a thick, almost jelly-like texture that is hard to find anywhere else.

What to look for in a good local honey

Cloudiness, granulation, and slight variation from jar to jar are all good signs. Honey that pours like syrup and looks identical every time has usually been heavily processed. The Devon producers above prefer the slow, natural route, and the flavour shows it.

Quince Honey Farm, South Molton

Quince Honey Farm is a third-generation working honey farm just outside South Molton, around an hour north of Totnes. The farm site combines a serious commercial honey operation with a family attraction featuring interactive hives, gardens, and a cafe. Tours give a sense of how honey actually gets from blossom to jar, and the shop stocks a wide range including single-source and seasonal honeys. Worth a day trip if you have the time. The Bee Shed lets you watch a working colony through glass, which is a memorable experience particularly for children.

Where to buy locally near Totnes

The Good Food Shop at Shinners Bridge, Dartington, is the most reliable single source for Devon honeys near Totnes, with a regularly changing range from local producers. Riverford and Ben’s Farm Shop at Wash Barn between Buckfastleigh and Staverton stock seasonal honeys, and the Totnes Good Food Sunday market often features a beekeeper among its stalls. Country Cheeses on Ticklemore Street keeps a small selection too, particularly the darker honeys that pair well with their cheeseboards. Greenlife Health Foods in Totnes is another reliable stop for everyday jars.

Honey and cheese pairings

A clear Devon hedgerow honey works beautifully with a Sharpham Brie, while a darker heather or Dartmoor wildflower honey complements the salty depth of Beenleigh Blue. Ask at Country Cheeses for the current pairings, and they will let you taste before committing.

Markets and seasonal stalls

Saturday markets in Dartmouth and Kingsbridge often feature small beekeepers with limited stocks. Buying directly is the best way to support local production and get a sense of where the bees have been working that season. Spring honey tends to be lighter and floral, summer is the heart of the wildflower season, and autumn brings darker, richer jars from later-flowering nectar sources. Some keepers will let you pre-order rare seasonal jars such as borage or chestnut honey, which sell out within days of being filled.

The wider picture

Devon honey is also worth buying because it supports something fragile. Many of these beekeepers manage hives partly because of the pollination service the bees provide to local orchards, market gardens, and wild meadows. A jar from a South Devon hive is therefore both a delicious souvenir and a small contribution to the landscape that produced it. Pick up one or two on a visit, and you will find them outlasting most of the more obvious holiday purchases at the back of the kitchen cupboard. For visitors with a sweet tooth, a Devon honey is also a far more interesting present to take home than a tea-towel from the gift shop.