The Bee in the Garden: history of bees, wonders and flavors.

In Puglia, every company has a soul and especially when it comes to food and land, that soul transmits essences and fragrances of a story that becomes more fascinating every day. Like the story of Filippo Ragone, born in 1990, who in 2018 founded the beekeeping company L'Ape nell'Orto in Altamura, in the heart of Murgia. A company that from the beginning has based all its work on a fundamental principle: respect for the nature of its insects and the territory in which they live. "First of all - explains Filippo - I refused any form of intensive breeding or artificial forcing", all with a simple and complex objective at the same time: to produce a honey capable of restoring the authentic flavor of the territory from which it comes, a honey capable of arousing positive emotions.

Love for bees and for the territory: this is how Filippo presents himself. And if you ask him what kind of entrepreneur he feels like, he answers without hesitation: «I started out as an agronomist but in the beekeeping world I can consider myself a shepherd, a bee shepherd». Yes, because the bees of L'Ape nell'Orto are taken on transhumance and left free to develop, to collect nectar and pollen following the seasonal cycles, to produce a honey that is a unique expression of the environment in which they operate, in numerous variations. Beekeeping nomadism is an essential practice to guarantee this variety: Filippo moves the hives between Puglia and Basilicata to allow the bees to follow the richest and healthiest blooms, from the almond blossom to that of citrus fruits, passing through the cherry trees and the wild herbs of the Murgia. This technique allows us to obtain honeys with unique characteristics, in which each year brings with it an unrepeatable nuance of taste. "We are lucky to live in a land that is very rich in biodiversity," explains Filippo. "It is no coincidence that many beekeeping companies bring their hives to Puglia and Basilicata for honey production."

But is this really enough to produce unique honey?

"Nomadism is just one aspect. Indeed, for those who choose not to feed their bees artificially, it is a necessity, because in fact they move in search of the best food to offer their insects". Once the honey has been collected, and after countless and loving care in the field management phases of the hives, there are other crucial steps that mark the difference between a common honey and an even more precious product. The maturation times, for example: while most of the time we try to speed them up, Ape nell'Orto has chosen to let the honey decant in the barrels for a period that can reach up to six months. "It is a natural process that allows us to preserve the aromas and nutritional properties of the honey to the maximum, guaranteeing a pure and unaltered product", explains Filippo who, in his company, puts his soul into it, as well as his hands. The bee shepherd smiles at the metaphor, but then adds that he really cares about manual work. So much so that he doesn't even use machinery for bottling. "Each jar of honey - he says - is the result of manual work. When honey crystallizes, the solution would be to heat it to jar it more easily. The problem, however, is that in this way the organoleptic characteristics are altered". For this reason Filippo jars by hand even in winter, when honey crystallizes naturally. A rare choice in the sector, which demonstrates the attention to quality rather than speed of production. And in the case of Ape nell'Orto it could not be otherwise. It is the land itself that asks for it in order to better tell its story.

So yes, every honey produced by Filippo tells a story and brings with it the authentic flavor of the territory. The Millefiori, for example, is the result of the extraordinary biodiversity of the Murgia, where bees collect nectar from an incredible variety of plant species. The result is a product that changes every year, reflecting the unique characteristics of the season and the place of collection. "We always indicate the place of collection on the labels of our jars. In this way we underline the link between the product and its territory of origin". A principle followed for every variety of honey produced by l'Ape nell'Orto: each is the fruit of a careful harvest, carried out at the optimal time to preserve the natural aromas and beneficial properties. Characteristics that have seen Filippo's product excel at a national level, with some of the most important awards in the sector. "Receiving the Three Golden Drops for the Great Honeys of Italy was a huge thrill," says Filippo. "Although for me the greatest thrill is the appreciation of the people who use our products every day, not just the honey." In addition to this, Ape nell'Orto has expanded its offering with a series of products derived from the hive, such as royal jelly, propolis and pollen, as well as new products that combine tradition and innovation, such as honey-based supplements, natural cosmetics and even craft beers. All done with the same approach as always, that of a shepherd who walks his bees, allows them to feed themselves properly and respects their times, convinced that the most beautiful stories are told like this: slowly, savoring every word and admiring the places of each single, wonderful scenario.