LES RUCHERS DU TALUS
Located in Apples in the district of Morges, canton of Vaud.
Welcome to this web space dedicated to beekeeping, this passion that carries me through the seasons. My job is to watch over my protégés and their environment. I adapt the management of my hives to their evolution. By controlling swarming, installing supers, multiplying colonies, producing queens, end-of-season anti-varroa treatments and additional or emergency feeding depending on the weather, biodiversity and season.
ORGANIC HONEY
The locations of the apiaries chosen according to local biodiversity promote the health and dynamism of the bees in order to produce quality honey. In French-speaking Switzerland we mainly harvest twice per season. Once at the end of May for spring honey and the second at the end of July for summer honey. I invite you to observe the blooms from the emergence of spring until it is in full swing because a majority of these nectars will be present in spring honey. For example, at the end of January, the catkins of the hazel trees provide the first pollen of the season if the weather permits.
It is possible to observe the bees in action there. The willows and the lion's tooth will follow, then the cherry/cherry trees, the rapeseed, the prunus, etc. Thus, all the following flowerings will bring nectars and honeydew to the summer honeys, including in particular the lime trees, chestnut trees, brambles (wild blackberries and raspberries) and possibly, depending on the location, the fir trees with their honeydew.Our honeys are produced in the District of Morges, from the edge of the lake in Allaman, at the foot of the Jura in Mont-la-Ville; passing through Etoy, Yens, Denens, Vufflens-le-Château, Bussy-Chardonney, Cottens, Vuillerens, Aclens, Collombier-sur-Morges, Apples, Gimel, St-Oyens, Bière and Berolle.
(suggested price)
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Spring Honey from the Ruchers du Talus 22 Frs
White flower honey from the end of March until the end of May, certified organic, in a 500g jar
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Spring Honey from the Ruchers du Talus 11 Frs
White flower honey from the end of March until the end of May, certified organic, in a 250g jar
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Spring Honey from the Ruchers du Talus 8 Frs
White flower honey from the end of March until the end of May, certified organic, in a 125g jar
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Summer honey from the Ruchers du Talus 22 Frs
Amber honey from flower nectar and or honeydew harvested from the end of May until the end of July, certified organic, in a 500g jar
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Summer honey from the Ruchers du Talus 11 Frs
Amber honey from flower nectar and or honeydew harvested from the end of May until the end of July, certified organic, in a 250g jar
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Summer honey from the Ruchers du Talus 8 Frs
Amber honey from flower nectar and or honeydew harvested from the end of May until the end of July, certified organic, in a 125g jar
QUEEN SALE
The Queens of the Talus Apiaries
I raise queens to maintain and improve production qualities for my own colonies. Some of these queens thus produced are available for purchase from the Rucher du Talus. Direct pick-up at Apples (which facilitates the introduction of queens by avoiding disruption of clutches) or sent by post by A mail in a crate with attendants in a perforated envelope. Sales subject to availability from May to October.
*natural queens are not from picking.
COLONY SALE
My Bees and Their Management
In a few words, I would like to outline the work carried out at the apiaries throughout the year. Firstly, my apiaries are located in sites that promote their self-sufficiency, both in terms of pollen, which is essential, and in terms of nectar, which is important for both honey production and quality bees. Finally, this minimizes the amount of sugar needed for wintering; this is maintained throughout the season. I also pay close attention to the number of bees in each season, both from neighboring apiaries and my own, depending on available resources! Since 2018, I have opted for a transition to organic production methods. I support organic farming through my purchases, both personal purchases whenever possible, and professionally, in the choice of sugar, which is used as needed depending on the colonies to best ensure they get through the dry season/winter in a simpler way to replenish their reserves. Therefore, I aim to increase the number of colonies that survive the season with a good store of honey and naturally enter winter with a substantial reserve. (I am still looking for a simple way to organize monitoring of mother queens, queens of such colonies for now it is still a bit basic but is evolving quickly).
Si vous cherchez une colonie d'abeilles
Merci de m’envoyer un email pour vous inscrire à la mailiste pour les nucléis hivernés ou de saison !
WILD SWARM
Collection service for Morges and surrounding areas
I answer calls and participate in the collection of swarms that end up outside the apiaries, on public roads or private property. I am part of the SOS Swarms group, which shares the task to prevent problems caused by young swarms.
ORGANIC BEEKEEPING
The Bourgeon organic agriculture/beekeeping label guarantees that the products used against Varroa mites are clean and leave no traces in the hives, wax, or honey! This is important for both the consumer and the environment. The Bourgeon label is currently the only one that guarantees wax quality through a closed-loop system using beeswax produced in its own apiaries. The best wax, from the cappings (honeycombs), is purified by melting and then re-pressed into honeycomb-based wax (comb rudiments), which is then placed on the frames and introduced in place of the old wax in the hives. These closed-loop wax management techniques have recently become part of the recommendations of the SAR (Society of Beekeeping in French-speaking Switzerland), which continues to refine its beekeeping advice and techniques. Beyond the Bourgeon label, I favor a natural approach to hives, respecting their natural cycle and the flowering seasons. I try not to disturb the colonies too much during necessary inspections and often limit their number and duration. Therefore, I keep a close eye on the hive entrances (flight holes) to detect any potential queen/health/growth issues early from the outside, which reduces the number of routine hive openings and thus the disturbance and workload!
CONTACT
Thomas Lüthi – apiculteur
Route de Yens 12
1143 Apples
+41 77 470 55 85
