The absence of the plants typically associated with beekeeping, and from which the bees obtain the nectar which will become honey, makes it very difficult to do beekeeping in the high mountains. But it is important to preserve and spread this activity. It comes very topical, on the eve of World Bee Day which takes place around the world on May 20, and World Biodiversity Day, May 22, the Slow Food Presidium of high mountain alpine honeys expanded to eight new beekeepers in Friuli-Venezia Giulia and in Trentino-Alto Adige.
It is no secret that bees (as well as other insects) play a fundamental role in pollination: of course, they also perform this function at higher altitudes where, without their work, rhododendrons, bluebells, sainfoins and clovers would flourish more difficulty, relying on the wind or on the work of other insects such as bumblebees and wild bees. The In short, bees play an important role in the pollination of mountain areas, and beekeeping evidently favors this process.
But the reasons for the Alpine High Mountain Honey Presidium also lie in the fact that beekeeping generates care of the territory: a bit like breeding, which ensures benefits to the meadows where the animals graze during the mountain pastures, producing honey is also a way to fight the abandonment and impoverishment of the High Lands and prevent the uncontrolled advance of the woods, a phenomenon which (unlike what it may seem) is not positive but risks generating land management problems, such as landslides, mudslides, fires.
The benefits of beekeeping in the high mountains for pastures and land protection
Needless to point out the fact that i high mountain honeys, beyond the many well-known healthy properties for our body are exceptional. Il delicate scent unites them all, but each has characteristics that distinguish them from the others: that of rhododendron and wildflower they are fresher and more refined, perfect to accompany seasoned or blue-veined pecorino; that of crawl, almost black in color, it has a more aromatic flavor that goes well with medium-aged cheeses.
Also honeys of the same type are profoundly different depending on the geographical area where the plant is found: from west to east, from Piedmont to Friuli-Venezia Giulia, rhododendron honey, for example, has different organoleptic properties, also because the plants grow at different altitudes depending on the characteristics of the soil. In short, a biodiversity within biodiversity!
Producing honey in the high mountains is not easy, because i harvests are quantitatively scarce: when the vintage is good (it happens once every four or five years), we settle on a few quintals. Fir honeydew honey isn't even made every year, rhododendron honey is so rare that it's an almost exclusively Italian peculiarity. Still, there are those who believe in this work: i producers involved in the Slow Food Presidium today are about fifty in five regions: Valle d'Aosta, Piedmont, Lombardy, Trentino-Alto Adige and in the Carnic area of Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The recent enlargement towards the east, made possible by the support of Ricola, represents an important development of the project which allows it to embrace the entire Alpine arc.
Those who invest in beekeeping at high altitudes do so because they know the importance of bees and the exceptional nature of their productions: «In a jar of honey there are hours of work, technical expertise, knowledge and deep respect for the extraordinary work of these insects » explains Alexandra Moretti, beekeeper and coordinator of the Friuli Venezia-Giulia group of producers. «With the other producers of the Slow Food Presidium we share the processing methods and the same approach towards bees». Maria Luisa Zoratti, who is Slow Food coordinator for the Presidium in the same region, echoes her: «Our the priority is to support the beekeeping community which contributes to maintaining the biodiversity of the high mountain meadows and pastures, which have long been subject to abandonment. The depopulation of mountain areas can be countered: we do it by encouraging sustainable and environmentally friendly production activities».
How to help the bees in the city? Throwing balls of flower seeds in flower beds, gardens
On the occasion of May 20, the organization launched the initiative Slow Food Flower Power with the aim of responding to two urgent ecological needs: safeguarding bees and all other pollinating insects and regenerating the biodiversity of our planet.
What is it about? Slow Food invites everyone to make some flower seed balls (a mix of wild flower seeds, clay and earth) for thethrow them in your own garden, in public green spaces or even in a vase on the balcony
To make flower balls you need to get wildflower seeds – from your own garden or from a garden store. It is very important to get seeds of native varieties, the risk is to use weed seeds. The advice is to find out about the typical local flora and use those seeds and not others. Then you need clay powder from any craft store, peat-free compost, and water
Then proceed by mixing 1 cup of seeds in a bowl with 5 cups of compost and 2-3 cups of powdered clay (alternatively, soil can be used). Slowly mix the water with your hands to make balls with the mixture. The balls are left to dry in a sunny place until they become hard. Now it doesn't stay
Than to plant the seed balls by throwing them in the bare parts of the garden or in the wasteland of the city (neglected roundabouts, flower beds and planters etc.) and wait to see the flowers appear that will give precious nectar to the bees.
There is a huge range of plants that attract bees, including borage, lavender, mallow, rosemary, thyme, calendula, marigolds and vetch, among many others! But be careful: many seeds marketed as "suitable for bees" have been chemically treated and have insecticidal properties; therefore, make sure you get seeds and plants that have not undergone any insecticide treatment.
Bee the future: sow flowers to protect biodiversity
Also Eataly celebrates its commitment to safeguarding biodiversity From 20 to 22 May Eataly Turin, Milan, Rome, Genoa and Piacenza will give away who buys a packet of Bee the Future seeds optionally, a customized gardening trowel with Bee the Future graphics, to encourage people to sow bee-friendly flowers on their balconies and terraces. The initiative aims to convey the message that safeguarding bees and protecting biodiversity are actions that can also start from the individual and that everyone can play their part. In addition, from 20 May all Eatalys will also have one limited edition of Beeopak with the graphics of Bee the Future, the ecological film made with organic cotton and beeswax, ideal for keeping food fresh longer while respecting the environment.
Bee the Future, a project born in 2018 in collaboration with Slow Food and Arcoiris, has set itself the goal of donating, by 2023, 10 million bee-friendly seeds to organizations, municipalities and associations involved in the care of urban greenery and anyone who wants to join the project and fight for this just cause. In this first year, over four million seeds were donated for the green areas of Milan, Turin, Rome, Piacenza, Genoa and Pollenzo (Cn).
