Ermionis - Beiraktari Beekeeping

One of its most interesting sights Hermione is the property to be visited "Beiraktari Beekeeping“. The Bairaktari family has been traditionally engaged in beekeeping since 1914. O. Makis Baraiktaris but he was the one who conceived and implemented a plan for the total management of the estate. Since taking over the reins of the business, he has planted 100 organically grown olives, 800 pomegranates and 250 aromatic plants (6.000 rosemary, 2.500 sage, 1500 oregano, etc.) on the 1500-acre family estate, and set up 600 beehives. The result of this organization is that it receives 15 tons of honey from its estate - 50% is exported - and at the same time produces a series of other products, always with the brand name “Ermionis", Such as royal jelly, pollen, aromatic propolis, dried plants, waxes for face and body, decorative candles, etc.

We visited the unit "Ermionis - Beiraktari Beekeeping" just outside Kranidi on the way to the luxurious Amanzoe Ressort. At the top of the hill dominates the main building where the honey processing, storage and exposure facilities. From there you can see all around the hives between the crops and in the background the calm landscape of the area and beyond the sea. Immovable and constantly anxious and innovative, Babis proudly showed us the stone plaque, on which is written "Works 1914 Antonis Ath. Balachtaris" an inscription made by his grandfather for the first works he did on the estate.

The second pride that Makis has is Museum of, where he guided us in person. In the elegant stone building one can see objects of all kinds that testify to the history of the Bairaktari family, but also the history of this precious food for the human body which is honey.

In the exhibits one can see old clay hives used by beekeepers mainly in the Greek island country, hives from coffins, but also modern "European" hives, tools, honey processing utensils and other agricultural tools.

In the main building, Makis's wife, Marina takes us on a tour of the estate's products, while above the exhibits stands the table with the ISO 22000 certificate and the chemical analyzes that show that the honey is pure.

Makis said goodbye in a hurry. His own "works" await him. It's his next pride. A cave cellar where its honeycombs will be aged in barrels. We wish him good luck!