Slovenia Puts a Bee in the U.N.'s Bonnet to Take Kranjichi Culture Global

Slovenia is a nation of beekeepers, and the country has launched a campaign to have the United Nations declare May 20 as "World Bee Day." Slovenia's beekeeping culture was the focus of my travels there, and I discovered that apiculture is a blend of art, science and philosophy. On a bright spring morning, I set off from the idyllic lakeside resort town of Bled to meet one of Slovenia's 10,000 beekeepers and see for myself why the country has such widespread affection and respect for the Carniolan honeybee. Travelling on a winding rural road near the Austrian border, I was enchanted with the picturesque countryside, heavily blanketed with swathes of beech, oak, spruce and pine. Slovenia is Europe's third most-forested country, with 60% of its land covered in trees. I was soon to learn this all made for happy bees. I crested a hill and spotted a colorful Hobbit-sized hut perched on a field. A young man emerged, giving me a friendly wave. I'd found my destination and date with the Honey King of Selo village, Blaz Ambrozic. I had come to this bucolic hamlet to visit Blaž's apiary, a freestanding house of beehives. The apiary is located on a farm that has been in Blaz's family since the 18th century and is named Kralov, which means "by the king." More than a thousand years ago, when prince-bishops of Brixen ruled the region, the village founder was the local king. He determined where each resident could build their home. Blaz told me the name Kralov is ancient and has...
Source: Science - The Huffington Post - Category: Science Source Type: news