The activities for the production of organic honey in Busto Arsizio are underway. The evening of July 25th is dedicated to the beekeepers of the Province of Varese, to learn about new sustainable beekeeping techniques
It's the fifth of July, at 5.30 am. It's dawn. A white van enters the lands of Cascina Burattana (Busto Arsizio) with a special load: 6 colonies of bees, later moved to the appropriate hives in the evening. A new branch of business is born for the Cascina: a business dedicated to the sustainable production of honey, which will allow strengthening its productive activity.
The production will be entrusted to three boys—under the supervision of Apicoltura Varesina (APAVA)—which in the next months will be trained by us to become professional beekeepers. At the end of this journey and once all the necessary skills have been acquired, one of them will be included in the Cascina Burattana's staff.
The diffusion of sustainable beekeeping practices is fundamental to guarantee the survival of bees, which play an essential function for pollination and on which, in Europe, about 85% of the cultivated species depends.
This is exactly what we will be talking about on Thursday, July 25th, in Castiglione Olona. During an in-depth meeting, local beekeepers will be able to learn about an alternative technique for the treatment of varroa, a mite parasite of bees that represents a serious threat to the colonies, all over the world. It is also possible to replace the pharmacological treatments with sustainable techniques. For example, the use of oxalic acid —allowed in organic beekeeping—together with the brood block technique, is a low environmental impact strategy that guarantees excellent results.
The appointment is at 8.30 pm at the Congress Hall of the Castello di Monteruzzo in Castiglione Olona (VA).
These initiatives are part of the Campo APErto project promoted by Istituto Oikos and funded by Cariplo Foundation.