It's a Family Affair

The Hislop family has a strong connection to the land in Kaikōura. They've been involved in sustainable practices in the various food products the extended family has been producing for years. “My family was into organics way before organics was a thing,” Quintin states.

While the family farm still produces a number of organic products, most popular of which is their genuine stone ground wholemeal flour, Quintin’s thing is beekeeping. He is passionate about sustainable beekeeping practices and producing honest, organic honey where no corners have been cut. “Much of the industry is driven by clever marketing, but a lot of the time integrity is forgotten along the way,” he says. 

Quintin grew up around beekeepers and hives but really began learning the tricks of the trade from his father some five years ago. Now he manages around 200 hives in the Clarence reserve, which produce mostly monofloral blue borage honey, as well as some Mānuka, Honeydew and Alpenblend honey. 

Tradition and respect of generations before are of utmost importance to Quintin. “My great uncle Archie was a true pioneer of beekeeping,” Quintin explains and says that following in the footsteps of his uncle and father is a privilege. He’s a humble man who says he is continuously learning more about the natural processes of beekeeping. “Care and respect for the bees are at the very heart of everything a good beekeeper does,” Quintin explains and says he strives to support other small beekeepers that work within similar standards. 

It’s a delicate and extremely specialised industry to be involved in, but beekeeping is what drives Quintin. He hopes that future generations of the Hislop family will one day follow in his footsteps, just like he has done.