In the past, many pleasant-smelling savory bushes (Satureia
montana) grew on the open karst land, which occasionally
provided good fall foraging for the bees in this region.
The increase of grass in the karst landscape caused a
considerable decrease in the areas where savory grew,
which is why today’s Karst special feature is honey from
the St. Lucie cherry (Prunus mahaleb), a relative of the wild
cherry with a unique taste. Near Kobjeglava, known for its karst cured-ham
drying facility, there is a natural sage habitat (Salvia officinalis).
Right next to it, the beekeeper and tourist guide Jožef Švagelj from Štanjel keeps his bee yard. |
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The Karst, a picturesque region stretching between the
Bay of Trieste and the Vipava Valley, is covered with
olive trees and vineyards, and deep down below the surface
it hides exceptionally beautiful karst caves, sinkholes,
and solution valleys. Experts claim
that 11,000 subterranean features, caves, and hollows can
be found across Slovenia, which is unique in the world.
Its hard-working local people produce excellent dry-cured ham and Teran wine.
Slovenia produces approximately 2,000 tons of honey a
year. This quantity is sufficient to meet domestic demand,
so importing is not necessary.
When there is abundant spruce and fir
honeydew flow, more honey is produced than Slovenia actually
needs, so some can also be exported. Slovenian fir and
spruce honey have the same properties as that extracted
by German beekeepers in the Black Forest or Swiss beekeepers
in the forests of the Jura Mountains. Most Slovenian beekeepers
are amateur beekeepers, which means they keep a small
number of bee colonies and view beekeeping as a useful
pastime.
Nonetheless, Slovenians still produce a large amount of
honey! This is somewhat extraordinary,
especially considering that most western countries, which have a much larger number of professional
beekeepers than Slovenia, need to import most of their
honey.
Moreover, it should not be forgotten that the value of
pollination is at least ten times the value of all of the
bee products together. Because of the barren karst land,
the frequent bora, and summer drought, beekeepers in the
Karst region are accustomed to lower honey yields; however, their
honey is much more aromatic and tasty, similar to their dry-cured ham and Teran. |
BEEKEEPING POINTS OF INTEREST
* The Kristančič Bee Farm in Plešivo in the Brda region
offers a selection of local honey types;
*The Šivic Bee Farm in Šempas near Nova Gorica, known for its collection
of miniature bee houses and photographic gallery;
* The
Švagelj Bee Farm in Štanjel with its extensive selection of
bee products;
* The Štok Bee Farm in Povir with its wellknown karst stone bee house;
* The Atelšek Bee Farm in
Povir: presentation of karst honey;
* The Kozlovič Bee Farm in Škocjan near Koper;
* The Markočič Bee Farm in Koper;
* The Starc Bee Farm in Smokvica near Gračišče.
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HIGHLY RECOMENDED
Vipava: the center of the Vipava Valley,
the land of sun, cherries, and wine. The town is nestled
under the slope of Mt. Nanos. Here you can visit the source
of the Vipava River below the Skalnica
Slope, the beautiful Baroque Lanthieri Castle, and the Parish Church
of St. Stephen with its splendid frescos. Many well-known Slovenians
lived here, including the composer Stanko Premrl, who
wrote the music for the Slovenian national anthem;
Štanjel: one of the most beautiful
Karst villages. A beautifully preserved medieval settlement
and an exceptional urban planning monument, whose origins
reach back to the Hallstatt period. Take
a walk through the village and view the extensive collection by the recognized Slovenian painter and graphic artist Lojze Spacal;
Kobjeglava: visit the dry-cured ham
factory. While tasting these recognized products and enjoying
some authentic Teran wine, the locals will be glad to tell you how this Karst specialty is produced. |
