Bees first

How we work

The wellbeing of our bees comes first. Not only because good honey comes from healthy colonies, but out of respect for the animals that make it.

What we care about

Few colonies, plenty of time
On average we look after 12 to 16 bee colonies. That leaves time to look at every colony on its own and notice when something is wrong.
Enough honey for winter
It is common to take almost all the honey from the bees and winter them on sugar syrup. But honey is much more than sugar. We don't think that is a fair trade, so we leave enough honey in the hive at harvest.
Gentle care
We use gentle methods and avoid aggressive acids and unnecessary medication. As a biologist, Romi keeps an eye on the health of our colonies.
Our own hives, our own wax
Matthias designs and builds our hives himself. They are painted with volcano-red linseed oil varnish so the wood lasts. For our foundation sheets we only use our own, residue-free wax.
From frame to jar
We only harvest ripe honey. In our honey processing room it is uncapped, extracted, sieved and stored cool until we fill the jars ourselves. Creamed honey is stirred for several days until it is smooth and spreadable.
More than bees
On about five hectares we plant hedges and trees, look after an orchard meadow with more than 100 native wildflower species, and create habitats for plants, fungi and animals.

What happens here, and when.

Spring
The colonies grow, willow, crocus and fruit trees bloom. We put on the first honey supers.
Summer
Swarming season and harvest. We harvest two to three times a year, depending on what is in bloom.
Autumn
We prepare the colonies for winter and make sure every colony is healthy and strong.
Winter
The bees rest. We build hives, pour candles and design labels.