Dear Friends, its been nearly two years since my last post. So much has happened and changed that it seems fitting to finally update this blog. I recently returned from a buying trip to the Portuguese mainland to visit all my suppliers and old friends. Some have retired and moved on to a well earned rest, fortunately for us, there are still strong backs and good hearts working the hillsides and forests of Portugal to bring us the some of the finest honey available anywhere on earth.  Many lunches and visits to beehives in the campo, the odd glass of wine and 1500km later, another years supply of alchemically transformed flower nectar by the planets' most selfless creatures, has been secured for us.

The good news first. As with every year, there are some honey varieties which are stellar and with excellent harvests, we try to buy more in these times, as we never know what next year will bring.

Wild lavender, and Orange Blossom, superb quality and a good harvest, you cant ask for more.

our extremely rare Algarvian Wildflower, only 5 barrels were made, all of which we bought. Its worth a mention that all multifloral honeys are not equal. This honey is made by only one beekeeper ( that I know of) made in the littoral of the Western Algarve, it is dark and complex and magnificently balanced. You cannot find this anywhere else for love nor money as it does not exist.

Chestnut honey, a pleasing slightly lighter than last year, though resolutely elegant honey with a clear chestnut aroma and flavour, in terms of harvest a pretty bad year, thin on the ground, but just enough secured for another year.

Serra Da Estrela mountain honey , I have never seen the Serra da Estrela so dry, the normally verdant and pastoral Serra, resembled the dry Montado of the Alentejo. It has been ravaged by wildfires, which mercifully missed Jose's hives by a couple of Km. After an extremely erratic spring and hot winds from Spain, thankfully the harvest is modest to Ok and the quality of this masterfully produced rich honey is as reliably excellent as ever.

Eucalyptus, a catastrophic year for Eucalyptus (again) , this time our Eucalyptus comes from the Silver coast in the Porto region, and is some of the best Eucalyptus honey we have ever bought, testing showed the pollen content at 89.8 %. It is also the most expensive honey I have ever purchased in Portugal and there were literally 3 barrels available after much searching and some good fortune.

Heather and Arbutus, total harvest failure, absolutely nothing to be had. Fortunately we still have enough Arbutus to see us through till the next harvest in February. Fingers crossed for that one. Heather was produced this winter, but a very erratic spring meant the bees ate all of it. Not a barrel to be had. Heather has also suffered some habitat loss owing to fires a few years ago and the Serras have not quite recovered yet. We have about 170 jars left and thats it till next summer.

Laurissilva, again a sad tale, very little to be had at all this year and what there is will be easily absorbed by local demand. I doubt we shall see any at all

Greece

This year Greece has been a happier story, The Spectacular Kalymnos Thyme produced by Isabella is as good as ever, the Red Fir of Vaggelis reliably excellent, and a new Oregano and Lavender which rather reminds me of barley -sugar boiled sweets from childhood. I cant quite shake the association. A lovely honey, very easy to like. The Pine is being harvested right now and we are waiting on the results. I'm reliably informed its a pretty good year.

The BIG PICTURE

So much for the honey update. In terms of the background as the specter of war and the ugly motives of deranged men, approach ever closer, food security is now in the most precarious state it has ever been in the western world and indeed globally. The idiotic wars and the destruction  of refineries globally, Saudi, Iran, Ukraine, Russia, the USA and elsewhere, means that we are facing an energy crisis of gigantic proportions. Diesel spreads have now gone stratospheric, with the price of diesel, 90% up from this time last year. We have only seen the beginning of this, I fully expect oil to be at $200 a barrel next year and diesel to be unaffordable. Every single thing in the modern world from farming to transport to energy generation runs on diesel.

The vital components of fertilizer are now scarce and at historic highs for commodities, if available at all. Sulfuric acid, Ammonia, etc Commodities are about to enter a supercycle. We will face a food crisis in 2027. There is no question about this. There is only preparation. Energy Poverty, Food Poverty, Debt Crises and Rising interest rates, Punitive regualtion and Tax scavenging by profligate criminal govts everywhere and War will be the themes of 2027. Social unrest and Political earthquakes will undoubtedly follow.

We have kept our prices artificially low for more time than we can bear, so unfortunately we are going to have to raise this year to cover the vastly increased costs we are facing on every front. I apologize, I'd rather not, but if we are to stay afloat we must. Hopefully you will still find reliably good quality as well as value in what we bring to you in every jar of honey.

Love and Blessings XR