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Biodiversity in Provence
Our bees come from a local strain which is renowned for its hardiness and its ability to adapt to local conditions. We are proud to support these insects which are essential in the flowers reproduction process as well as fruit and vegetables growth. From this exchange, bees get the pollen and nectar necessary for them to survive. The honeybee plays a vital part in nature and biodiversity.
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Our beekeeping farm
We take care of 200 hives. In a hive there are 60,000 worker bees, 2000 males and … a single Queen.
From spring onwards we follow the bees on their seasonal migration. As they travel along, they come across the lands and flowers of the Luberon region, the Alpilles and the Mont Ventoux.
This ancestral practice enables us to place the hives close to the places where blossom is abundant. The first nectar flow of the year happens in the scrubland when rosemary is blooming. Then comes the acacia honey in the hills of the ‘Drôme Provençale’ region and the lime blossom at the foot of the Mont Ventoux. There, bees gather pollen from majestic sweet-smelling hundred-year-old lime trees.
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Then comes July and its blooming lavender fields on the plateau of Sault. Bees can make the most of the long summer days by gathering the precious lavender nectar.
To discover the lavender of Haute-Provence and its magnificent fields, you can consult the web site of “les Routes de la Lavande” : www.routes-lavande.com
This association proposes the discovery of this blue flower through several circuits. Our beekeeping farm is present in this guide.
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Organic beekeeping in Provence
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Ourbeekeeping farm is certified organic.
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This label guarantees we respect the insect : we are as close as possible to the natural life of bees.
They spend the winter with their own stock of honey and are only treated with essential oils from plants. They gather pollen in protected areas, far from any sources of pollution.
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Our organic honeys
Honey is a healthy, balanced food, which is good for the body and tastes great. You can use it all day long : on bread, in your cooking and in infusions.
Lavender honey : We collect it at an altitude of 1000 metres in the middle of summer. It has a very fruity, fragrant flavour.
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Garrigue honey : Thyme, rosemary, white clover, asphodel, blackberry... the garrigue (wild hillside) flowers create a fragrant and full-bodied honey.
Acacia honey : This is a mild, delicate and floral tasting honey. It is ideal for cooking because it remains liquid. It is a favourite with children.
Lime blossom honey : Its strong flavour is similar to the smell of lime trees in flower. We collect it in early summer in the ‘Baronnies’ in the ‘Drôme Provençale’.
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The harvesting of honey
Each time honey is produced we harvest it from the hive. Once back at our production centre we remove the fine wax film which covers the honey alveoli. The honey is then extracted from the honeycomb by centrifugal force. To preserve its properties we guarantee that none of our honey is heat-treated.
The crystallisation which takes place several weeks or months after collection is a natural process.
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Our organic flower pollen
Pollen is the only source of protein for bees. They harvest it from the flowers, making balls which stick to their back legs. We do not want to deprive them of proteins and only harvest the pollen for a short period using a drawer placed at the entrance to the hive.
Rich in proteins, minerals and vitamins pollen is a tonic for the body.
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It can be eaten all year round or used as a treatment for three weeks in spring and autumn: take 3 teaspoons at breakfast dissolved in water, in fruit juice, with yoghurt or just eat naturally.
To retain their properties all our honeys and pollen should be stored in a dark place.
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