For over 2 years, the Greek beekeeper Panagiotis Mourikis has been supplying us with honey from his homeland. He and his wife are continuing the long tradition of migratory beekeeping. They are beekeepers who move nomadically from one forage to another with their bees. His ancestors founded beekeeping in the early 1960s and the family has remained loyal to migratory beekeeping for over 60 years.
The beekeeper is on the road with his 2,500 bee colonies for up to 250 days a year. He commutes between the Greek mainland and the islands in the Aegean. His preferred beekeeping locations include
- the island of Milos
- the island of Thasos
- his home village in the Dervenochoria region
- and the Holy Mount Athos on the Chalkidiki peninsula
His honey from the Holy Mountain is only available in small quantities and we received this rarity from the beekeeper for the first time. What is special about this beekeeping location is its isolation from the outside world. Athos is an autonomous region inhabited exclusively by Orthodox monks. They have been working in 20 monasteries in complete isolation since the Byzantine Empire.
Women are not allowed to enter Athos. Male tourists and young men under the age of 18 are also not allowed to visit. Only Orthodox pilgrims are tolerated. Everyone else must keep a wide distance from the border.
Our beekeeper has permission from the monks on the Holy Mount Athos to set up and look after his bees during the chestnut blossom season. He harvests this rarely offered chestnut honey in this isolated area. After the main flowering of the sweet chestnuts, he has to move his honey bees to another area outside of the Holy Mountain.
Whether you like or dislike the bitter taste of chestnut honey, this honey is a rarity due to its exceptional location. Take the chance to get a jar of it. Our small stock of just 12 honey jars will certainly not last long.