Wilfrid Laurier University’s Brantford campus is celebrating a sweet victory after its Golden Hawk Honey won first place at the provincial level of the Ontario Association of Agricultural Societies honey competition.
The honey, harvested from rooftop apiaries at the One Market building, advanced to provincials after earning best-in-district honours in November 2025.
Volunteer apiary manager Christine McKinlay said she was thrilled the “little rooftop apiary brought home the gold,” calling honey competitions a celebration of craftsmanship and stewardship.
Launched in 2022 with support from Laurier’s Sustainable Hawk Fund, the One Market apiary is home to about 320,000 honeybees. The award-winning batch was harvested in July and August 2025 and features strong notes of basswood, a tree common in Brantford.
In November, 120 jars sold out within days, with proceeds supporting hive maintenance and student learning opportunities.
Written by Jeremy Hall