Insights into the ancient trade of honey extraction

The beekeeper workshop in Chalkidiki Greece

Greece, the cradle of beekeeping. Visit local apiaries to get an authentic insight into this ancient profession.
Also the Halkidiki Beekeeping Workshop we try to give as much options of individualization as possible.

The Honey-workshop day is structured in three blocks:
- A idyllic hike through the countryside where the hives are located
- The visit of the apiaries where we meet the beekeeper placing the hives
- The actual workshop of honey-extraction

You can decide if you only want to visit the beekeeper in his apiary or experience a full day in the world of beekeeping. Location of the workshop is the village Kalandra and the surrounding environment at the peninsula of Kassandra.

The Workshop

Traditional Honey extraction

The workshop is supposed to provide you with a authentic insight into the processing of honey. During the visit at the Apiary we watch the exfoliation of the hive-boards, centrifugation, filtration and extraction of the honey.
You will see the tools the apiculturist uses for the honey-production as well as the apiary provides a showroom where visitors can experience the traditional way of honey-processing by centrifuging the centrifuging the boards manually.
During the demonstration the beekeeper guides you through the history of apiculture and provides the visitor with profound information about the product honey, the variations of honey and its impressive healing properties. In the workshop you can watch the bees in a transparent observation hive.

Experience the life of an apiarist

During spring and fall the hives are placed near the forests on the hills of Kassandra to let the bees collect their pollen in benefited environment. To provide a complete insight into the beekeepers work, we follow him to the hinterland, participating when he is placing his hives and observe responsibilities and tasks of this profession.
Important: For participation the visitor is obligated to ensure that there is no allergy history on bee stings.

History of Beekeeping in Greece

2300 years ago, the Greek philosopher Aristotle from Stagira, Chalkidiki already wrote about honey and its benefits. He believed that the consumption of honey has an prolonging effect on the human’s lifespan.
Until today the apiarists from Chalkidiki continued with the traditions of beekeeping. Passion and wisdom about beekeeping were passed on for generation by their fathers and grandfathers. Their work benefits from the rich flora of surrounding mountainous landscape. The apiarists lived like nomads, always on the search for the best spots for their bee-hives in order to provide best conditions for producing their precious good.
The honey of Halkidiki’s apiarists is famous for its pureness, its great flavor and intense taste. Y. Tselepis, founder of ‘Melistalakto’ is a honey-producer in the 3rd generation. He dedicated his life to this family-business and works with great passion and love for the product. Halkidiki is the birthplace of apiculture and the Tselepis-beekeeper are aware, that this heritage comes with a responsibility. Every glass of honey is manufactured with care. The honey is first class not only in Greece but also in whole Europe.

Apiary related products

Honey

Honey is an organic food-product, produces by bees due processing the consumed flower nectar. The honey is rich in minerals, antioxidants, vitamins, organic acids, amino acids and enzymes.
It includes over 182 different healthy elements for our daily nutrition. Crystallization is a natural phenomenon during the time of storage and doesn’t mean any loss of quality. It can easily be re-liquidized if heated over hot water.

Pollen

Flower-dust collected by the bees from various flowers. It’s a rich food full of vitamins, proteins, vital amino acids, hormones, enzymes and many more necessary nutritional elements. The pollen is rich in ‘Cystine’, an amino acid which positively effects on hair growth and color. It’s also rich on Vitamin R, responsible for stimulating the blood circulation and reducing the risk of suffering cerebral hemorrhage. It also has positive effects on preventing ‘Prostatitis’ health issues. A spoon of pollen every day covers our daily needs of many vitamins and proteins.

Beewax

The wax is based on a secretion from the bee’s glands on their abdomens. The typical shape of the honeycombs is shaped by the bee’s feet.

Royal Jelly

Royal Jelly is a creamy substance secreted from the glands in the hypopharynx of the worker bees. Unlike honey this isn’t secreted in the bee’s body. Worker-bees are producing this jelly exclusively to feet specially selected larvae in order to create a new queen.
The royal jelly is a rich source of proteins, amino acids, fatty acids, minerals, enzymes and a broad spectrum of vitamins. It has positive effects to the metabolism. It is also a dietary supplement with various health benefits in child growing. The consumption of Royal Jelly protects from viral diseases and infections. The Jelly also has anti-aging properties which makes it interesting for Geriatrics.

Propolis

Propolis is a natural Antibiotic. It is a sticky substance, collected by bees from the tree buds and enriched with wax, pollen, enzymes and more.
The composition of Propolis: 55% resin, 30% wax, 10% essential oils and 5% pollen. It also contains sucrose, balms, terpenes, aliphatic acids, esters, flavonoids, inorganic substances, vitamins, etc.
Medical use: As antimicrobial against viral diseases, as emollient, as treatments for skin burnings, nail mycosis, as treatment inflammations, ulcers, asthma, prostate afflictions, as immune modulator, dental anti plaque treatment and as a treatment for oral diseases.
It also improves the blood circulation.

Media Attention

In Collaboration with

Contact

Halkidiki Greece Project
Lea Aimee
63077 Kassandria
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Mobile: +30 697 1751380