“I started to keep bees in 2019 when I retired from work,” he said.

 

In his view, beekeeping requires thought and efforts. While understanding the habits of bees, it is also important to consider the seasonal changes as bees collect honey in different places in different seasons. Therefore, he has a unique honey collection route. He chooses fields with blooming cole flowers in spring, places with honey sources in Yangji Township in summer, the gallnut forest in autumn, and areas with flowers of Chinese chaste trees (or Vitex Negundo) in winter to ensure that bees have sufficient honey sources throughout the year.

 

 

 

He said that beekeeping requires a lot of energy, time, and attention at all times.

 

He believes that beekeepers need to understand bees, plants, and weather. He has high requirements for the quality of honey, especially the concentration of honey. He cultivates new queen bees every year to increase the honey production of bee colonies, and regularly checks the humidity and temperature of the beehives to provide a comfortable living environment for bees.

 

 

 

“If the concentration of honey is increased, the quality will be very good. If the concentration is not increased, no matter how good the bees are, the honey will not be good. The concentration of my honey is usually very high, at 41 or 42 degrees,” said He Risheng.

 

 

 

There is rapeseed honey, gallnut honey, chaste honey, and Chinese tallow honey produced by his bees. At this moment, it is a good season to collect rapeseed nectar.

 

 

 

Rapeseed honey is the easiest to crystallize. It’s very soft when rubbed by hand at the beginning of crystallization and has a good taste with a hint of cole floral fragrance.

 

 

He Risheng makes high-quality honey with diligence and wisdom, and creates his own sweet and happy life with his love for life and persistence in his career.

 

 

Chinese source: arxww