Honey With Hope

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  Quer que o seu organização seja a primeira Sociedade Sem Fins Lucrativos em Azinheira dos Barros?

Honey With Hope

A Calling

Not long before Antara Retreat was conceived, we started receiving messages which became increasingly loud and clear. The first was a simple vision of us interacting with the bees, the hives and their produce. We were excited about the prospect of exploring an ecological pastime that could be a part of making a difference. Then the second insight arrived shortly after our return to Portugal. We were gathering wood for the winter when we came upon a weathered old bee hive in the undergrowth. To our surprise, it contained a small colony of bees and despite the hive’s dilapidated appearance, our industrious friends inside appeared to be managing quite well. Understanding very little about bee keeping at the time, we decided to leave them to it. At approximately the same time, we learned from our neighbors about the dire situation that had previously been unheard of in rural Portugal. The honey, the flowers it is made from and the bees that do all the work had been disappearing at a rapid rate. Drought, wild fires and the loss of habitat which follows were all contributing factors. That year, we were unable to buy any local honey for several months in our area. For us, the messages were a stark warning and a calling. We set about learning all there is to know about the world of apiary and literally got “stuck in”!

What We Learned

It is believed that 40% of the world’s pollinators, including bees and butterflies, are in decline. Scientists are still investigating causes for the declines, though they are discovering that the widespread, uncontrolled use of pesticides and fungicides within the farming industry worldwide, are the two major contributing factors. Disease and a loss of habitat also contribute to their loss. There are a few countries concerned enough to take action by banning the most harmful pesticides which is excellent news for us and the bees, but more can be done. The consequences could be a future where food will become expensive, then scarce and good health will be a luxury only a few can afford.

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