An agricultural entrepreneur has revealed how beekeeping became an indispensable element of his activities.
Nicolas Galpin runs a farm in the small town of Auvernaux in the Essonne department, in northern France. In 2008, he started to let flowers and plants grow uninhibited on a previously cultivated patch of land.
Nicolas said: “The manifold plants offered rich resources to pollinators. The beekeepers nearby were delighted.”
The farmer eventually set up his own apiary in 2014. He explained: “Today, I’ve got 25 hives. I’m offering five different types of honey.”
Nicolas, who sells between 400 and 500 kilogrammes of honey per year, said: “Farmers are often criticised for their alleged lack of respect for the environment. Many people say they are not doing enough to protect natural habitats.
“Now I can provide facts whenever I get involved in an argument.”
There were more than 71,000 apiarists in France in 2020. Only four per cent identified themselves as full-time professional beekeepers.
