The art of liquid gold

Beekeeping workshop in Fuentes del Narcea

This ecotourism experience takes place in Casa Martín, in the town of Fondos de Vega, Degaña; municipality integrated in the Natural Park of Fuentes del Narcea, Degaña and Ibias and close to the Muniellos Forest. The region stands out for being home to one of the richest plant and animal communities in Europe.

The experience starts with a contextualization of the local, cultural, socioeconomic and environmental environment in which we find ourselves and in which traditional beekeeping has had, throughout history, a prominent role, favoring the integrity of the ecosystem and the welfare of the local community.

In a first contact with this millenary profession, we will deal with the importance of the cortines (circular construction with high walls, typical of bear areas) and we will expose a trúebano (beehive made from a tree trunk) characteristic of the area. By means of a glass observation hive, we will observe the different inhabitants of the hive (queen, drones and workers), their characteristics, organization, behavior and structure within the hive, as well as the importance of the bee in the environment through the pollination process, promoting biodiversity and the guarantee of nutritious food.

Finally, visitors will be able to approach the different products of the beehive through their senses: honey, wax, pollen and propolis. Through a tasting they will be able to feel, smell and taste these products and other derivatives such as honey cookies or jams with honey and km 0 fruits. Honey has a great variability in terms of colors, flavors and textures that gives it identity and depends on the floral variety or type of nectar collected. The botanical characterization of our honey will be discussed.

This experience is a journey into the beekeeping profession and a tuning of the senses through the tasting of the products offered by the beehive, from the responsible commitment to the conservation of the natural environment and environmental and cultural awareness. We will conclude with the participation of the attendees in a dramatization of the beekeeping profession.