Killiane Castle in County Wexford has had bees on the land since my grandfather purchased the farm in 1920. That history matters to us. It is why, when we started All About Nectar, we did not want to build just another honey business. We wanted to do it properly, in a way that looks after the land, the bees, and the people buying from us.
Everything we make, from our pure Irish honey to our natural beeswax skincare, comes back to the same principle: use what the bees provide, keep it clean, and do as little damage as possible along the way.
Biodiversity on the farm
Our bees are over 98% pure Irish native honeybee, bred from the original two hives we started with. We now have almost 60 production hives spread across the farm and the surrounding countryside. Spreading them out matters. Concentrating hives in one place puts pressure on forage and crowds out other pollinators. We want our bees to be part of the wider ecosystem, not a drain on it.
We work with the family farm and neighbouring farmers to make sure the bees have access to a wide range of flowering plants throughout the season. That variety shows up in the flavour of the honey. It also means the land supports other insects, not just ours.
The Irish native honeybee is well suited to this climate and this landscape. Protecting it is not just good for our business. It is good for every farm and garden in the area.
How we approach sustainability
Sustainability is not a value we added when it became fashionable. It was built into what we do from the start, because the alternative never made sense to us. Here is what it looks like in practice.
We also work with local schools and businesses that care about the same things we do. Sharing knowledge about bees, pollination, and what it takes to keep an apiary healthy is part of the work. The more people understand why Irish native bees matter, the better the outcome for everyone.
Natural products from the hive
Honey, beeswax, pollen, and propolis are the foundation of everything we make. Our Nectar Skincare range, including the Nourishing Balm, Hand Salve, and Lip Balm, uses ingredients harvested directly from our own hives, blended with wild medicinal plants grown on the farm. No synthetics, no shortcuts.
No chemicals
None of our products contain chemicals. What goes into a jar or a tin from us is the same quality of ingredient we would use ourselves, because we do use them ourselves. Marie developed the skincare recipes here at Killiane, testing them on the family first. The results speak for themselves in the reviews.
Packaging
All of our packaging is either recyclable or biodegradable. We made that choice early and have not moved away from it. It adds cost. We think it is worth it.
Local ingredients and short supply chains
We use local ingredients wherever we can. The rapeseed oil in our skincare comes from nearby. The plantain used in the Nourishing Balm is picked on the farm. Keeping ingredients local reduces food miles and keeps money in the local economy.
Waste reduction
We reuse and recycle across our production process and are always looking for ways to reduce what goes to landfill. It is an ongoing effort rather than a fixed target, and we are not going to pretend we have it all solved.
What you are supporting
When you buy Killiane Castle honey or any product from our Nectar Skincare range, you are buying something made carefully, from ingredients we know the origin of, by people who live on this land.
If you want to see the hives for yourself, our bee farm tours at Killiane Castle run throughout the season. You will get a proper look at how a working apiary operates, why the Irish native honeybee is worth protecting, and how raw honey goes from hive to jar.
We are proud of what we have built here, and we are glad to have customers who care about the same things we do.
