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20 The Portugal News · 21 Nov 2020 Green Section brought to you by
Pub.
Going
Green
It’s week eleven of the Portugal News’
“Going Green” series…
… As a responsible thriving renewables company,
we’re increasing efforts in awareness. Not just for
our solutions, but the local and regional Algarve
environment.
Bee World
Bees are constantly in mortal danger. Consider their habitat.
Much of it is being eroded on a daily basis. Not necessarily
here, in Portugal, but in many other countries. In 2004, some
will remember the lethal predatory wasps (type Vespa Veluti- Honey Variety Honey Facts
na) that swarmed in from Asia. They killed bees in the busiest
month, August. Don’t forget the series of fires, in 2012, 2017 Here in the Algarve we are fortunate. There are around
and 2018 which destroyed huge land-tracts and flowers. Never 1,000 apiarists who have around 100,000 hives. Impor-
World beekeeping day is May 20, as designated by the
mind the harmful pesticides – or the monoculture where tantly, due to the Algarve’s remote areas and wild terrain,
U.N.
the same crop is grown yearly. And the rising threat of water this helps the bees. The best producers will also move their
shortage and drought. hives to certain areas and at different times. This helps • Beekeeping is an ancient tradition.
their bees produce many different flavours like lavender,
• The honey bee is the only insect that produces
Disasters on the land take years to recover. And bee colonies rosemary, carob and orange blossom. If honey contains
food eaten by man
are very delicate. Up to 60,000 bees makes a colony. But more than 18% pollen of the same flower, it’s considered
there’s only one Queen which develops when female workers mono-floral. • A beehive produces up to 11 kilos of honey
bees pick a particular larva and feed it Royal Jelly. This ensures • Honey is 80% sugar and 20% water
she becomes fertile and can produce eggs to make more bees. Getting Your Honey
A Queen can live for a few years and is serviced by the males. • Honey never spoils
This is her role and she is fiercely protected by the colony. And Most honey bought in supermarkets is the mass-produced
Portugal produces some of the finest honey in the
no surprises the workers are all female! processed variety. But those willing to travel a little can still
world. Try your local farmers market. The town of
buy the artisanal stuff. Many beekeepers don’t advertise ex-
Honey Production actly where they keep their hives. That’s because bee theft is Loulé has a superb Saturday market with some excel-
lent sellers. Links to help you get started…
on the rise. But some of the very best honey comes from the
During summer, worker bees collect pollen and make Serras. This is due to the large variety of flowers and blossom https://catavino.net/the-undiscovered-sweet-
honey. They fly 5-6 miles, reaching speeds of 15 miles per found there. ness-of-portuguese-honey/
hour, and visit between 50 to 100 flowers per trip. A good https://www.wildabouthoney.co.uk/
hive can produce up to 11 kilos of honey. To calm the bees Other product
they are “relaxed” with smoke. The bees are then left with https://en.algarvetreasures.pt/honeytour
enough honey and they stay with the hive. Next the frames Let’s not forget that the industrious bee produces wax –
https://www.portugalvineyards.com/en/blog/
are carefully removed, trimmed or centrifuged after taking where the best furniture polish is made from. Then there are
the-portuguese-wild-honey-from-alentejo-and-al-
the lids off the combs. The honey needs to settle for a day. In candles. It also finds its way into cosmetics, lip balm, vinegar
garve-n1237
this state, it is “raw”, so unheated, untreated and unprocessed. and liquors.
https://americanbeejournal.com/tiposlinks/fun-facts/
https://www.honeyassociation.com/about-honey/
honey-trivia
Swiss renewable project investor EKZ Renewable has commissioned its biggest wind park
Portugal in Portugal to date, the 20-MW Parque Eólico de Marvila (PESMA II) wind farm. Located
Renewable near Fatima, it will produce about 70 GWh of power a year – that’s enough to supply 17,000 Next Week:
News Swiss homes. The farm has six turbines with rotor diameters of 126 metres (413 ft), which Eco Village
makes them the biggest in EKZ Renewable’s portfolio in Portugal. EKZ Renewable has so
far invested in five wind parks in Portugal.
For more information
WWW.CASAVERDE-INT.COM