The Nomad Story - Ultra Premium & Beyond Organic Greek Honey

"Eleni Plachoura and Vasilis Ritas left the big cities and construction companies to pursue their shared love of beekeeping. The result? Living close to nature, producing one-of-a-kind honey products." By Efimerida

One of our apiaries is located in the area of Vikos Gorge, near Vradetto village, at 1,350m altitude. This area, located within the Vikos - Aoos Geopark (NATURA), is particularly known for its biodiversity. 1700 species and subspecies of plants grow in Vikos Gorge area. Rare but well-known herbs, endemic orchid species, wild flowers, fruit trees and many more. It is no coincidence that in this place, many years ago (since the 17th century), the "vikogiatri"(vikos doctors) as they were called, were taking action. Herbs from this region collected by botanists were used to treat certain ailments and were particularly popular in the 19th century.

“The biodiversity of Epirus and especially in the Vikos-Aoos Geopark is really interesting,” Eleni explains. “There are rare types of plants, herbs, trees and wildflowers. In just a small area, you can harvest many different types of top quality honey. Our honey is undergoing research at the University of Thessaly and they have found it has the highest levels of antioxidants and antibiotic properties that it’s possible to have in honey anywhere in the world.” Eleni Plachoura

All our mountain lands and honey types

• Vikos – Aoos Geopark, Epirus, Greece (NATURA 2000, UNESCO): A mountain region in Epirus, NW Greece, featuring landscapes of exceptional natural beauty. Rich in mountain flora and aromatic herbs. With Vikos Canyon, plenty of traditional pretty stone villages and 11 wild life refuges that highlight our strive for a sustainable life in our planet. Here the Organic Vikos Wildflower & Herbs Honey is made. But also one of the world's most medicinal honeys, Organic Oak Tree Honey - Vikos & Aoos National Park.

• Evritania Mountains: A unique, beautiful alpine territory in the Greek mainland, which includes lakes, gorges, rivers and sloping forests of fir, pine and chestnut trees. Here we harvest the divine Organic Fir Tree Honey.

• Souli Mountains: Μountains of historical pride, a wild landscape with a one of the highest numbers of mountain flora, one of the most environmentally sound regions of NW Greece.

• Ionian Coast Mountainous Area: A unique microclimate with plenty of Greek sun and mediterranean sea breeze like no other! And here we harvest the true Greek Honey-Organic Pine Tree Honey from the pristine Ionian coast.

“10 years ago we attended seminars at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki at the School of Beekeeping and Sericulture. There we learned how to produce organic pure raw honey using good nomadic beekeeping practices.” they explain how they started and how their name came about: NOMAD Honey. “Since then, we have not stopped learning, reading, researching, and so on. Learning never ends if you want to produce quality products and at the same time respect nature. It is no coincidence that we were drawn to this particular activity. Bees are engineers, just like us. They build their hives with incredible precision and incredible detail,” Eleni

"It is hard but also charming to climb to an altitude of 1,400 meters every day, to walk on cliffs and to carry at night to transport the beehives. However, the results more than compensates us. Pure and completely unprocessed, our honeys are rich in aromas , flavours and nutrients. What we essentially do is help and care for the bees. We practically serve their natural processes without interfering in any way with artificial means, chemicals, etc. And of course they repay us in the sweetest way." adds Vasilis.

This time is the most beautiful, to seize the sun. To get ahead of the day. To get ahead of the life!

You open your eyes … It dawned! A sunbeam tickles your half open eyelids. You open the tent and all these sunbeams come in. “Get up,” you are yelling me. We are almost catching the sunrise. “Make a coffee”. 

I am thinking honey and I look at the bees that start to come out timidly by their beehives. They are like small houses! It Is where they are having their household. A household superior to that’s of the humans and every alive being. As soon as the sun shows all of its rays we have already dressed up. Long pants full of pockets and shorts, headband with the screen, scraper and smoker. This is how our day begins on the mountain.

Ready for “beekeeping inspection”, as we would say in the language of beekeepers. We control all the hives one by one and help them to be strong, clean and healthy.

Basically, we take care of them and they are rewarding this back to us. Hours pass and bees are endless. As time passes, the temperature rises.

Sweating drips from our forehead onto the screen that protects our face, as we are bent over the hives and these wonderful fairies come and quench out of it. How can you not love them and how come they not love us too.

“Ooh! That’s where Argyro is.”… I am yelling out!

It is so as we call them … By their name and every single bee, while others are wondering how we recognize them amongst so many very small and identical insects. We distinguish them! It starts to sizzle and the time comes when all the collecting bees turn back behind their hives. At that time they do not want something extravagantly important.

It is time to leave them in peace, to rest and to enjoy silence. As long as it’s evening, millions of stars appear in the dark blue sky to the heart of a forest! “You should not count the stars,” my grandmother said to me … “You’re going to make crutches.” I have been counting so many years on so many summers beside our bees.

In our apiary! Either also in our workshop. In our modern and clean place, located in Ioannina (Katsikas, Ioannina), where, with absolute responsibility and according to all hygiene regulations, we place the honey on the jars, seal them and store them. You are always welcome to visit our site and of course to taste the different varieties of honey, we collect every season.

TO TASTE HONEY AS BEES GIVE TO US

Our land. The place we work in. The place we respect. The place we love.

This place we chose. We searched one by one for each herb and tree. We went to live it in sunshine and cloudy, dawn and dusk. And then we carried our bees there. We have trusted our fortune by giving the promise that we will not hurt him and watch him as our home. But what can I say... Since it is our home! These are our apiaries!

These are the places that nature lends generously to the highest mountains, in the most fertile valleys and in the densest and beautiful forests. Where our bees will enjoy fresh air, and they will pick up food both for them and for us … and for you too! A true medicine of nature's best in a jar! 

These are the essential honey types for the Mediterranean diet and perfect for teas, yogurts, cheeses, grilled figs, cooking, marinating meats and of course just on fresh bread! A tablespoon every morning will boost your wellbeing!

Meet More of Our Producers

Our search for Greece's finest quality products never stops, so check out some other of our producers' stories and read more about our own Food Odyssey in our Our Story Page.