WHO WE ARE
We are two "Milanese" people who, fifteen years ago, decided to buy a second home that was easy to reach. We arrived in the Tortona Hills purely by chance, and it was love at first sight. In the early years, it was about living in the countryside only on weekends while staying in the city for the rest of the week. By exploring the area and gradually getting to know the local businesses, we discovered several Slow Food Presidia and many other entrepreneurial ventures started by people who, like us, originally came from the city.
Little by little, we realized that we would love to start a business connected to the land. With the forced lockdown of the pandemic, and being able to work remotely, our breaks in the countryside grew longer and longer until we completely reversed the days we spent in each location. In the meantime, we bought some land, planting fruit trees, olive trees, and aromatic plants. Finally, more out of curiosity, we purchased two bee families using special hives that allow for sustainable management through natural beekeeping.
Just over a year ago, recognizing that our lives were now inextricably linked to this land, we decided to definitively leave Milan, where it no longer made sense for us to stay. The two of us have since been joined by Never, a mixed-breed dog—a mix of Maremma Sheepdog, Golden Retriever, and who knows what else!
Arnia Kenya Top Bar
The Kenya Top Bar is a horizontally-oriented hive, shaped like a trapezoid (half-hexagon). The top part is closed by bars that support the combs, which are in turn covered by a lid.
In this geographical area, ligustica bees are found.
We tried to get to know this wonderful world through countless theoretical and practical courses. However, real learning began to take shape when we started managing our first bee colonies. We began with four hives and have now grown to around ten.
Even before managing the bee families, we identified the area where they would be placed. Our choice fell on a field sheltered from cold winter winds, with a good presence of nectar and pollen-producing plants throughout the spring and summer months. In the coming months, we would like to expand the apiary area by adding more hives. We also don't rule out the possibility of undertaking an experience that aligns more closely with conventional methods in the near future, always with the utmost respect for the bees and their world.