Roero

R'era 'd Minot Nomad honey of Roero

Farm in Monteu Roero

Business Hours

Closing Day

Holidays

The first encounter between the Bordone family and the bees took place in 86: at the time the father (grandfather of the current owners) and his two sons ran a farm, producing fruit and vegetables.

In the small community of Roero, the three had the opportunity through beekeeper friends to approach the world of the hive, receiving shortly after two families as a gift.

From here began an increasingly engaging relationship, first experienced as a hobby, which gradually saw them buying more boxes, arriving at a total of 600 families in just 5 years.

The two brothers decided then to separate the companies and each continued on his own path, separating the hives and continuing in parallel the cultivation activity, which was always the main production of both.

It was only in 2016 that beekeeping gained the leading role, with the choices of the new generation: Enrico and Stefano took over the business of their father Domenico, giving it a new life.

This is the start of R’era ‘d Minot, a reality that is young but with an old experience, which produces the main local honeys practicing nomadism throughout Piedmont.

The orchard part also remains, with apricots, cherries, madernassa pears, hazelnuts, plums and the subsequent production of pears in Arneis wine, jams and fruit juices.

Photo credits: Eunice Brovida – http://www.eunicebrovidafoto.com/

 

Products

Each honey is produced in a specific place and at a specific time of the year.

In fact, they practice nomadism, pursuing the desired blooms within a radius of 100 km, or in the provinces of Asti and Cuneo.

The honeys produced are:

  • Dandelion
  • Acacia
  • Chestnut
  • Basswood
  • Millefiori of hill or mountain

The first two bloom between April and May, while the others develop later, simultaneously.

However, these times are changing due to climate change, which reduces certainties and production year after year.

The last collection is the forest honeydew, which does not derive from flower but from the secretion of the meccalfa – plant insect – or of specific leaves; this is not called honey, as it has different origins.

In addition to the production of honey, you can also buy fruit preserves and Arneis pears in the company.

Nomadism

Some beekeepers call themselves "settled". This means that the hives remain fixed annually in a single place, from which, in the various periods, they are able to collect the desired flower varieties. Nomadism is instead the practice that moves from place to place, chasing flowers.

Visits & Tastings

The visit can be structured differently based on the interest of the group, with a focus on honey production, fruit growing, or both activities.

When booking, specify which field you are interested in learning more about.

Bees, hives and honey production

If you choose to focus on beekeeping, the visit begins with a brief introduction to the internal dynamics of the beehive, through the use of a teaching hive.

From this you can closely observe the organization of the bees, the various sections of the interior spaces and the queen bee, all separated only by a thin protective glass.

We then move to the warehouses, where the honey extraction process and the operation of the various machines used are explained, more or less in detail based on the interest and preparation of the group.

A tasting of the produced honeys follows, with the analysis of the different characteristics of the varieties.

Orchards and jams

Instead, the fruit-growing visit consists of a tour of the orchards, almost all of which are near the farm.

During the journey you are told about the actions carried out during the year to ensure a healthy and quality harvest: the chemical intervention is avoided except in extreme cases, always opting for traditional and natural methods.

After the walk you move into the tasting room, where you can taste the semi-finished products such as preserves, pears in wine or hazelnuts, depending on the season.

Get closer to an apiary in action

Upon reservation, it is possible to visit one of the apiaries of the company wearing the protective suits provided.

The activity can be carried out by up to 10 people at a time, but it is possible to divide larger groups between the activities and take turns, participating in each of the proposed tours.

Groups

max 20 people

Visit Duration

1h

Booking

Mandatory

Tasting Price

Starting at 15€

The origin of the name

R'era 'd Minot it is a symbolic name of the family history of the Bordone, and literally means "the farmyard of Domenico".

Domenico was the family elder, cousin of the founding father as well as owner of the farmyard.

In 1900 the internal courtyard where the establishments still is today was used as a fruit and vegetable market, in which the peasants used to sell their harvest, selected by local merchants.

From here the two young owners took the new name, which wants to recall the peasant spirit of the past and bring honor to the history of the family.

What is the forest honeydew?

Honeydew is a sugary substance produced by some insects that feed on plant sap and is recycled by bees, especially in areas or periods of the year when it is difficult to find pollen. Starting from the honeydew the bees produce a food very similar to honey, which however has different characteristics at the organoleptic level. Bees collect honeydew on the leaves and branches of plants.

Prices & Services

Choose depending on your interests

Types of visit

  • Orchards and preserves - € 15 per person
  • Bees, hives and honey production - € 20 per person
  • Orchard and beekeeping combos - € 30 per person
  • Visit to the apiary - € 40 per person

Services

Pets Allowed Direct Sales Parking Lot Garden Caravan Parking

Accepted Payments

R’era ‘d Minot

Località Oggera 46/bis, 12040 Monteu Roero CN
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