we traverse all corners of Taiwan in pursuit of fine honey
Every barrel of honey produced at “Move Bee Leisure Farm” is accompanied by a production and sales history, all of which are inspected and approved by Chung Hsing University. It has repeatedly garnered top honors in various honey evaluations over the years.
Introduction
Move Bee Leisure Farm is situated midway up Sanzhi and encircled by mountains on three sides, the sprawling expanse is nearly three hectares. The farm has a history of two decades, and housed generations of the Jian family. The proprietor, Jian Deyuan, exudes enthusiasm and opts for ecological discussions to explain the intricacies of beekeeping, while imparting knowledge on how to distinguish between authentic honey and its counterfeit counterparts. The farm has a magnanimous policy of offering free admission.
The honey production season lies between the spring equinox and the summer solstice, which is a fleeting period indeed. Lychee and longan trees typically bloom during this period, making them the most common varieties of honey. There are other variants such as wildflower honey and forest honey, albeit in relatively smaller quantities.
In the early days, the Sanzhi region had orchards filled with fruit-bearing trees, and pesticides had to be used. However, after abandoning farming, the pesticide-free expanse of mountains and woodlands became an ideal habitat for beekeeping. Consequently, Jian Deyuan embarked upon large-scale beekeeping, forging ties with fruit growers across central and southern Taiwan to transport his bee colonies to orchards in the southern reaches during the fruit tree pollination season, thereby using the bees to pollinate the orchards while concurrently harvesting honey, a mutually beneficial scenario. From Wufeng and Dali in Taichung to Nanhua in Tainan, and from Dashu in Kaohsiung to locales such as Pinglin in the northern part of the country, the beehives of “Move Bee Leisure Farm” are ubiquitous, moving around collecting nectar in tandem with the flowering cycles of various fruit trees, coined the name “Move Bee” due to their nomadic lifestyle.
Features of Agricultural Tourism
Bee
How long can a bee live? What is the extent of its flight radius to collect pollen and produce honey? Why do different types of honey have varying colors? Why do certain honeys crystallize while others don’t? How does one discern authentic honey from fake varieties? What natural predators threaten bees, and what environmental benefits do bees provide?
Honey is universally adored, but have these questions ever perplexed you? A visit to “Move Bee Leisure Farm” for an enthusiastic explanation from the farm’s owner, Jian Deyuan, will provide all the answers to these questions.
In addition to honey and bee-related knowledge, guests can observe the hives full of bees and the glistening, translucent honey contained within. Visitors also have the opportunity to order meals such as roasted chicken, and revel in the serenity of the quiet mountain forest environment.