MILEA BEE FARM: A HIDDEN SANCTUARY
- Jan Sato
- May 28, 2019
- 3 min read
If the bee disappears from the surface of the earth, man would have no more than four years to live. -Albert Einstein
I am fascinated by wildlife since I was a child, I remember my seven-year-old self begging my mother, aunties, and uncles to switch the channel to Animal Planet, Discovery Channel, or National Geographic. I had many pets and I was able to maintain most of them until they reach their maturity and die of old age. Alongside this, I grew fond of herbs such as mints, rosemary, and other plants that has flowers, leaves… I would say all plants except stinging nettle!
Until now, I never get tired of loving nature and its inhabitants. Recently, I got fascinated by a small colony of bees thriving in our garden. Guess what happened next? I dived into the internet and do research about bees. With that, I was able to classify the species of bees thriving in our garden. They were honeybees and their scientific name is Apis cerana or laywan as the locals in our town call it. Sadly, the colony collapsed due to recent burning of dried grass near our house.
Still, fascinated how bees work I decided to watch bee videos on youtube during my free time. I came across a short bee documentary and I was surprised that the apiary is located in the municipality where I belong. With the help of the internet, I managed to communicate with the owner and learned its secret location.
The Bee Farm is located in a town of San Jose, Batangas, it is hidden by the lush green environment away from city noises and pollution. This is Milea Bee Farm.
According to Madam Edilee Rosales Omoyon, they started that farm in 2010 to plant herbs that they use a primary resource in personal care making. She added that one of their raw material in making products are honey and beeswax. At that time, they purchase honey and beeswax from bee hunters. However, they usually get fake honey and fake beeswax. With this, they decided to have their own apiary.
They started their own apiary by importing European bees called Apis mellifera but it was not that sustainable and expensive to maintain. Given this situation, they explored the native bees available in the local terrain, until they dived into keeping stingless bees. Yes, you heard that right, stingless bees. Who would have thought that they exist?
Home of the Foreign Bees, Native Bees, and Philippine Stingless Bees, the farm is also a home of accommodating staff and farmers. Despite the hard work, they tend the field wearing bright smiles on their faces as tourists pass by.
The farm doesn’t just offer the beauty of nature but they also give its guests merriendas (snacks). The merriendas were organically produced and cooked within the walls of nature. The farm exemplifies the provincial life, there are no tools made by advanced technology. It is about simple living and it made me appreciate my surroundings even more. Birds were chirping and I can see many kinds of birds perching on different kinds of fruit-bearing trees. Within the farm, there are lots of flowering plants which includes cosmos, marigold, orchids, and others. These plants serve as food also for the bees and other beneficial insects on the farm.
The tour also offers a seminar regarding bees and beekeeping. I mean, what is the purpose of touring without learning anything, right? It is included in their package and you will be amazed how bees work and how they increase the produced on the farm. You will also learn the relevance of bees in our environment. Alongside with bee lectures, the tour offers experiential learning. Get ready to smell, eat, and taste different herbs, flowers, and wild fruits! Oh, I forgot. You will also have a chance to hold a piece of a beehive and taste its honey. You will be surprised regarding the varieties of honey that they produce, okay I will not go any further in this. I won’t spoil you.
The farm have more to offer, it doesn’t just end in bee lectures and walking around the farm smelling and eating leaves, flowers, and wild fruits. Stop being a goat and take your time exploring the farm’s shop. Beauty products, essential oils, supplements, jars of honey, name it! They have everything you need for beauty, skin, and health care! The ingredients in the products came from their own farm and they made it!. Isn’t that rad?
Milea Bee Farm is a sanctuary for environmentally friendly farming, organic food, warm people, and lastly a sanctuary for bees. Bees which pollinates our plants giving us more food…and mind you, you can also properly harvest their golden honey and wax…just be aware of their stingers! Hard work for their hard work!
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