- The honey I produce is traditionally delicious
- Would you like to buy honey?
- Are you interested in having a beehive in your yard/area?
- Catching a bee swarm
- Would you like to report any issues you have noticed with my hive or its surroundings?
- Contact information for beekeeping activities
I keep bees and produce honey, which I mainly sell directly to interested individuals and in stores under the brand Namihani® (www.namihani.fi). Beekeeping, in addition to being a hands-on activity, is my way of contributing to the well-being of the environment through the pollination activities of bees.
The honey I produce is traditionally delicious
To me, honey is always a product straight from the hive, extracted without any additives or processing. I specialize in "old-fashioned" traditional crystallized honey. Like all untreated Finnish honey, my honey crystallizes shortly after being bottled. The reason is the particularly high natural glucose, or grape sugar, content in Finnish honey. If you want liquid Finnish honey, buy it directly from a beekeeper and freeze the honey. Thawed honey stays liquid for several months.
Would you like to buy honey?
I'm happy to sell honey! The production quantity is still small but increases annually. Fresh honey from the new harvest is collected in late summer or early autumn, depending on the weather. Reservations can be made in advance to ensure the availability of fresh honey or to get it in a liquid form for freezing. Pre-packaged honey is available for purchase (hopefully) from various locations in Finland and sometimes even more widely. You can find an up-to-date list of retailers at www.namihani.fi.
Are you interested in having a beehive in your yard/area?
I am constantly looking for new places to locate beehives. In addition to Pirkanmaa, there is interest in expanding operations to other parts of Finland in the long term. I'm happy to discuss hive placement and provide more information about beekeeping activities. Contact information can be found below.
Being a hive location does not cause trouble or obligations. Instead, it offers an opportunity to participate in maintaining the biodiversity of nature. Bees and I, as their caretaker, are quite unobtrusive. I visit the hives approximately once every week or two to ensure everything is fine. The goal is to find a long-term investment (as these are living animals that get stressed when moved), but understandably without any commitments.
Practically, what is needed is a small plot of land, slightly separate from main pathways and buildings, but still accessible by car if needed (even 8 square meters would be a lot), preferably more on the edge of the area rather than in the middle. Honeybees themselves (which are quite different from, for example, aggressive wasps) are a very calm group and only sting in extreme situations if their hives are intruded upon or their lives are otherwise threatened.
In areas with bear populations, I am happy to set up an electric fence (using a solar-powered energizer) around the hives, but the possibility of a bear fence is not mandatory. I am happy to provide more information and discuss the possibility of placing beehives. Contact information can be found below.
Catching a bee swarm
Swarming is a natural way for bees to reproduce. Many have read stories in the media about bees escaping from their hives and forming a large buzzing ball in a visible location. Since hive bees usually cannot survive Finland's wild winters and may at least establish their new nest, for example, in a chimney, beekeepers try to catch the swarm balls and offer them a home.
Catching a bee swarm usually needs to be done quickly because the swarm may continue its journey and disappear within a few hours. If I'm available and in the area, I'm more than happy to catch the swarm you have noticed. Contact information can be found below.
Do you want to report any issues you have noticed with my hive or its surroundings?
I'm happy to answer questions about beekeeping activities and the honey I produce. I am extremely grateful for reports of any problems on my apiary. Contact information can be found below.
Contact information for beekeeping activities
Beekeeper Ilkka Veiström
Phone: +358403781415
www.ilkkaveistrom.fi