Beekeeper Division's Update
Heading to Akita with our honeybees, again this year!
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On
Wednesday, May 18, our manager of beekeeper division, Morizumi departed to Akita to get organized for accommodating bee hive boxes.
On Friday, May 20, the first loading work of the boxes for Akita was done in the office of beekeeper division in Kumamoto.
Preparation of our journey to Akita was started in sunny Kumamoto!
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It was a sunny hot day and the highest temperature of the day was 28℃.
After honeybees returned to bee hive boxes located in our Nishizato apiary at sunset, we started our loading work at 18:20.
We closed the window (entrance for bees) of boxes and then brought them to the office of beekeeper division.
Our bee hive boxes ready to be departed to Akita (Photos were shot in Nishizato apiary)
To bring the boxes to the office, they were loaded temporarily on a van.
We
carefully handled the boxes by calling out each other and promptly and neatly load the boxes on a lorry.
In order to protect our vulnerable honeybees from heat, we put blocks of ice in the center of pallets.
A ladder fixed in the center of pallets to put blocks of ice also prevented the boxes from shaking during a long journey.
During its long journey approximately 1,600 km from Kumamoto to Akita, the window of bee hive boxes were kept closed and honeybees had no freedom to get out from there.
Our members of beekeeper division continued loading the boxes by calling out each other after sunset and under the dim moonlight.
Due
to this, the heat inside of the boxes could not be released and it may put honeybees' life in danger.
Therefore they took extra care on loading work to keep bees in good health during the long travel.
The loading work was finally finished after tightening ropes around the boxes just before 20:00.
The
lorry with our bee hive boxes was left to Akita at 20:00.
The driver took the shortest route to the destination.
At the break, we poured cold water on the boxes to protect them from over heat.
We continued our journey with the most careful attention.
Harvest of "Acacia Honey" will be done in Akita!
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The
first lorry with our honeybees departed from Kumamoto was arrived in Akita in the evening of Saturday May 21.
The second lorry left from Kumamoto on Sunday May 22 and arrived in Akita in the evening of Monday May 23.
After arrival in Akita, we will get prepared for harvest of Acacia Honey while observing the weather and bloom.
Additionally, in June, we will send our honeybees to Hokkaido (scheduled in early June).
In Hokkaido, harvest of Amur Corktree Honey, Linden Honey and Buckwheat Honey is planned.
Despite recent Kumamoto earthquakes, we continue our hard work again this year to deliver delicious honey from Northern Japan to our customers!
