Eccentric, wild, free, and yes, un po’ pazzo… in the best possible way. This is how we would describe our beekeeper Luigi Manias.
And his honey? Also crazy. Crazy good.
Luigi goes to extreme measures to make sure his honey is a reflection of Sardegna’s landscape. What does that mean? Pure, clean, organic, and a product of seasons NOT strategic beehive placement. Luigi Manias does not move his beehives. His hives take up permanent residency.
Why does this matter? Well, many honey producers move their hives, sometimes vast distances, to get next to the best blooms. This is an industrial practice. Exploitative in its very nature. In the words of Luigi, “how would you feel if someone put your entire house and family in a truck and planted it in a totally new place? Scared? Disoriented? That is what happens to bees too.” There is actually serious concern that this widespread nomadic beekeeping model has been one of causes of bee population decreases.
Luigi’s bees are settlers and therefore, their honey is a natural product of the seasons. The bees produce asphodel, cardo and millefiori in spring, eucalyptus in summer, and corbezzolo in late autumn.
Just like with the best fruits and vegetables, good honey is seasonal, not forced.