Hand carved honey spreader (British sycamore)

Wood and honey have always seemed to belong together, and there's something about spreading honey with wood that just feels right. The blade is the perfect size for honey (of course!), butter, jam and anything else you want spreading, and easy for children to use too.

Like our honeys, no two of these spreaders are the same. Each has its own character, shaped by where it grew and by Amy, who carved it from sycamore grown in a farmer's woodland near Tenterden in Kent.

A limited edition of just 25, made exclusively for Hive & Keeper.

DESCRIPTION
Amy adjusts how she carves each spreader as she goes, working with the wood's natural character and grain, so every one is slightly different. Sycamore is pale and light-catching, and the yellow band shows it off perfectly. Amy paints it with milk paint, a traditional mix of milk proteins, lime and earth pigments, building the colour up by hand in four layers: two of off-white, then two of marigold.

19cm long

PROVENANCE
Amy is a green woodworker, which means she carves wood that still holds its moisture, using hand tools. It's much easier on the hands than seasoned wood, and it means she can source directly from tree surgeons and woodland management rather than buying pre-cut, dried timber from a sawmill.

SUSTAINABILITY
Made from sycamore grown in a woodland that's been sustainably managed by the same farming family for generations. Being entirely natural, once its useful life is over it can go back to the earth without leaving a trace. From tree to dust.

CARE
Hand wash and store somewhere well ventilated. If you like, re-oil the whole spreader occasionally with flaxseed, hemp, walnut or grapeseed oil.