Mission Apiary - gold medal at the Apimondia 2019

The "Mission Apiary" reportage won a gold medal at the "Apimodnia 2019" International Apicultural Congress in Montreal for the best film in the category: "Beekeeping together within Agriculture"

#bees #beekeeping #missionapiary #apimondia2019

In northern Greece, by the Aegean Sea, on one of the Chalkidiki Peninsula offshoots there is an autonomous Republic of Mount Athos, an important cultural and religious center of the Eastern Church. There are only sacred buildings here - historic monasteries and hermitages, and about 2000 monks from various parts of the world reside there permanently. Tourist traffic in the republic is very limited, restricted by many rules, and women are not allowed here at all.

The monasteries make their living mainly out from the growing of olive trees, chestnuts, the production of cosmetics and organic medicines as well as wine and honey. This honey at the foot of Mount Athos was the reason indeed why our befriended, experienced beekeeper from Austria turned up there. He went with the mission to recover one of the local apiaries so he worked hand in hand with father Serafim (by invitation of whom he arrived).

Athos Peninsula is located in the subtropical Mediterranean climate zone – It is a long, dry and hot summer but a mild and damp winter - thanks to that there is always green here. The abundance of flora is astonishing, there are many endemic plants here, a variety of forage for bees unknown in other parts of Europe. Beekeeping on the peninsula, however, is not free of problems, traditional methods of beekeeping not always work confronted with the current state of knowledge about bee colonies or weather surprises.

Our beekeeping friend examined a few apiaries and that allowed for a more accurate diagnosis and father Serafim not only agreed to test modern styrofoam hives but also allowed our beekeeper to make substantial amendments to his activities in the apiary.
And that's how the East and the West met up over the hive, two completely different beekeeping styles and lifestyles. Common work, meals and talks, not about bees only, made both parties to find this meeting satisfactory.

= LYSON ORGINAL =