Balasa Ilie Alexandru

“For me, beekeeping means responsibility, consistency and working closely with nature every day.”

Balasa Ilie Alexandru | Romania

In the Romanian municipality of Măldărești in the district of Vâlcea, 43-year-old Bălașa Ilie Alexandru runs his family beekeeping business. What once began out of curiosity for nature and the behaviour of bees has developed into a family career over the years. Today, together with his family, he looks after around 220 bee colonies. This close family collaboration enables them, as a group, to continuously care for the bees and directly master all the tasks that arise.

For Alexandru, working as a beekeeper is more than just a craft. He has learnt from previous generations just how important patience and a genuine respect for nature are. His primary guiding principle is to work in balance with the environment rather than trying to control it. Seeing healthy bee colonies develop and produce their honey in a natural way is the best reward for his work and fills him with pride.

Diversity created by unspoilt nature

The region around Măldărești is characterised by hills, forests and unpolluted areas. The bee colonies here fly through a diverse range of landscapes spanning meadows, forest fringes and agricultural fields. Thanks to the mixture of wild flora, the bees are able to collect a wide variety of nectar from acacias, lime (linden) trees and wildflowers, depending on the season. In addition to multifloral, rapeseed and sunflower honey, specialities such as acacia and lime-tree honey are also produced in good years.

“My secret for good honey? Careful handling of the bees, respect for natural processes, and harvesting at exactly the right moment.”

Balasa Ilile Alexandru

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