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We manage 200 hives and every year, from spring to the end of autumn,
criss-cross the Provençal countryside with them, seeking out native hillside
flowers.
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We take our bees in turn to the Luberon, the Alpilles and Mont Ventoux where they gather nectar from a variety of flowers in protected areas.
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Our beekeeping farm is certified organic (control Ecocert).
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The King is a Queen
Our bees come from a local strain which is renowned for its hardiness and its ability to adapt to local conditions (flora, climate…)
In each of our hives there are 60,000 worker bees, 2000 males and … a single Queen. She is the only progenitor in the hive. Sometimes in the spring, if the bees are too numerous, the Queen goes off to another palace accompanied by a party of workers. This is natural swarming and encourages the colonies to multiply.
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A night ramble : transhumance
From spring onwards we take our bees on a night journey to find plants in flower : we call this transhumance.
This ancient practice enables us to place the hives close to the places where blossom is abundant. These night journeys are fascinating and we sometimes meet some strange nightowls : badgers, wild boar, hare…. We love the scents of the night; the intense silence or the sound of a cricket.
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We begin our nightly ritual with acacia flowers in the hills of the Drôme Provençale. Next comes the lime blossom at the foot of Mont Ventoux where the hives shelter under centuries old fragrant lime trees.
And then July arrives with the perfume of lavender fields and the dance of the bees in the blue fields from dusk to dawn during these long summer days.
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Harvesting of the 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. Only acacia honey which is rich in fructose does not crystallise.
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Our honeys and flower pollen
In accordance with organic culture rules, our production only comes from protected areas.
Lavender honey : We collect it at an altitude of 1000 metres in the middle of summer. It has a very fruity, fragrant flavour.
Rosemary honey : In the hillsides rosemary is the first plant to flower. Rosemary honey has a delicate, subtle flavour.
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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 Les Baronnies in the Drôme Provençale.
Garrigue honey : Thyme, rosemary, white clover, asphodel, blackberry... the garrigue (wild hillside) flowers create a fragrant and full-bodied honey
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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 recipes requiring honey and in infusions.
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Flower pollens : 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.
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.
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To retain their properties all our honeys and pollen should be stored in a dark place.
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To discover the lavender 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 the lavender through several circuits crossing a territory where this plant is omnipresent.
Our beekeeping farm is present in this guide.
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As honey producers we belong to the sales network in the Vaucluse ‘Bienvenue à la ferme’ which sells farm produce direct to the public.
You can visit the website of the ‘Bienvenue à la ferme’ network:
www.bienvenue-a-la-ferme.com
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