In the Serra do Mendro we support biodiversity and have recovered sustainable agricultural techniques with steps that help us protect the soil, conserve water and preserve the environment and local social and cultural life.
Bees perform a crucial role for the planet and help ensure the balance of ecosystems. In the Herdade Aldeia de Cima estate, bees pollinate plants, favour agricultural production and, through their high nutritional value products - such as honey and pollen extracted from flowers - they contribute to the local population’s well-being.
In the Serra do Mendro we support biodiversity and have recovered sustainable agricultural techniques with steps that help us protect the soil, conserve water and preserve the environment and local social and cultural life. This philosophy and approach to nature preserves the life of bees and ensures a more balanced system, since they require around 10 million flowers to produce one litre of honey.
We currently have 15 apiaries and 599 beehives. Whenever the right conditions exist, bee colonies are carefully transported by beekeepers to places where specific flower varieties are in full bloom. This is the reason for the varying flavours of honey, which depend on the season and the flowers in bloom.
The honey of Herdade Aldeia de Cima, is pure and produced the least possible human intervention . It is produced from a treasure chest of pollens. Of particular interest is the wild lavender that grows in the unique ecosystem of the cork oak orchards of Serra de Mendro, unspoilt by either industrial or urban pollution. The warm temperatures of early summer are ideal for extracting honey in its liquid state, a process that usually takes place between June and July, at the peak of production. The low temperatures of winter can cause the honey to crystallize without any loss of nutritional value. This is the mark of quality honey. Over time, liquid honey tends to crystallise. It must be kept in a dry and cool environment and at room temperature.
At springtime, pollen is collected from flowers by bees, transported to the hive and collected in the pollen trap. This pure food source, which exists in the form of granules, has been valued for centuries as an extraordinary food supplement, unparalleled in nature. It is rich in amino acids and vitamins of biological origin, protides, lipids, sugars and minerals, and contains most of the elements essential to life on Earth. Flower pollen should be chewed and consumed on an empty stomach. It may also be eaten with yoghurt, fruit or vegetable smoothies, porridge or cereal. It should be kept at room temperature, in a dry and cool environment.