Waitahuna School pupils have been busy bees.
In a project led by the pupils themselves, the young rural entrepreneurs recently launched their own brand of honey.
Combining bee farming, scientific and agribusiness skills, Waitahuna Hills Honey came about after a local family discovered a large nest of bees in a wall cavity.
Teacher Clare Blackmore said the three-week programme had integrated neatly with the school's curriculum for its 23 pupils this term.
''They asked if the school could create a hive, so the children painted one up and the unwanted bees were moved in with the help of year 6 pupils. This year they produced a lot of honey.''
The hive was in the nearby Waitahuna Hills area, lending its name to the children's end product, she said.
''The story of how the honey was made was chosen as the marketing tool and the children produced a marketing video, using stop motion.''
The project showed the children how businesses market themselves, and the process of farming bees.
They have labelled 192 jars, and are selling them to raise money for further school activities.
Those with a sweet tooth could contact the school, Mrs Blackmore said.
