Antonis Papayannakis, nomad beekeeper since 1990 based in Polemarchi, Chania.
Producer of thyme honey and pollen.
My beekeeping unit is “short-range”, consists of about 160 beehives.
The beehives are transported according to seasonal flowering in the following areas northwest of Chania:
•to Polemarchi, from December to May (buttercup oxalis (oxalis pes-caprae), yellow mustard (sinapis alba), pink rock-rose (cistus creticus), deciduous trees, citrus fruits, etc.),
•to Cape Spatha, from mid-May to mid June for ballota pseudodictamnus, and from early June to late July for thyme (thymbra capitata),
•to Palaia Roumata, from late August to November the hives are transferred for heath (erica manipuliflora), sticky fleabane (dittrichia viscosa) and carob tree (ceratonia siliqua).
Northwestern Chania
Rodopos Spatha
Harvesting pollen happens during spring, from early February to mid April in Polemarchi.
The harvest of ballota pseudodictamnus and thyme honey takes place once a year at the end of July in Cape Spatha. The greatest yield I have achieved was 15 kilos per hive average and the lowest was 6,5 kilos.
In Crete, highly diverse native and cultivated plants bloom and feature rich qualities. However, due to limited rainfall, blooming is short, therefore honey production per beehive is low.
The price of honey is 14€ per kilo.
Pollen is sold for 10€ per 230 grams.
My products (honey, pollen) are available through me (without intermediaries) and 3 solidarity and alternative trade shops in Chania to Terra Verde, Chatzi Michali Ntaliani 5 and in Athens in Syn.all.ois Nileos 35 Thissio and the cooperative grocery store Katalahou Mavromichali 9 Exarcheia.
My stance towards beekeeping is to follow, as humanly possible, the natural world of the beehive and to produce pure honey.