This summer, Laura and Théo take you behind the scenes of the trades that shine the season! Authentic portraits, good humor … and great prices to win! A series produced by FRAPP, with the complicity of our Net+ FR partner, the 100% Friborg, near and local multimedia.
Episode 5/6: Hands in the hives
Direction La Gruyère, close to the Valsainte, to meet Julien Rouget and its 60,000 bees. For this mountain beekeeper, it is in summer that everything happens. “The bee season begins at the end of March, and the peak lasts until the end of July,” he explains. He has been spending his summers for five years in the company of the Hymenoptera.
Armed with his protective jacket, his gloves, his tools, Julien Rouget delicately opens his hives. With his childmill, an essential tool for the beekeeper, he calms the bees to bring them down into the hive. “I am less likely to crush them like that,” he proves, taking out a frame covered with insects.
To harvest honey, Julien Rouget deposits hunts in his hives. These filters allow insects to get off the increase, where part of the honey is stored, towards the body of the hive, but not the opposite. In 24 hours, honey is ready to be harvested. “It is a soft method for bees. I just have to recover the increases, I put them in my trailer and I take them to the honey.”
“With the number of hives I have, it is a constant work during the season, of great intensity,” says the beekeeper, who works almost 7 days a week in summer. “I am responsible for my bees, and my rhythm is totally stuck on them. You have to be passionate about doing this job.”
The honey it produces is sold everywhere in Gruyère, in the dairy in particular. Julien Rouget also makes direct sale and goes to the Bulle market every Thursday. Once the Benichon has passed however, the beekeeper will no longer open his hives to leave the insects winter.
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