This year 2021 will not be remembered.
With a late frost and the abundant rains at the beginning of summer, the flowering of trees and flowers will not allow beekeepers to harvest abundant honey in the Eure department.
This is a reality that the students of the first class of the Conches-en-Ouche apiary school learned.
In agreement between the city and the Union of beekeepers of the Eure, Philippe Desrots is in charge of training about fifteen amateur breeders.
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As in three other schools in the department (Guichainville, Beaumesnil and Épaignes), individuals, "because we are not there to train professionals" followed the trainer throughout a beekeeping year, "from spring to wintering. , or about fifteen sessions on Saturday morning.
This takes place at the old EHPAD, in a room made available by the municipality.
At the end of the day, the pupils are able to manage several hives independently ”.
“Applicants must be motivated, insists Philippe Desrots.
When registering, they must explain their interest.
This is why each promotion has only 15 trainees, mainly from the town or the surrounding area.
The year costs 70 €, plus 20 € for union membership.
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"We recovered around forty kilos of honey"
Of course, the apotheosis when raising bees is the harvest of honey: "In a good season, a hive can contain between 50 and 60 kilos of honey", announces the trainer. An operation in several stages taught to the pupils: smoking, harvesting of frames, uncapping of combs, extraction by gravity of honey, filtration and potting. “During our first harvest, we collected around 40 kilos of honey. Each of the members will leave with their share, ”smiles Philippe Desrots.
