วิถีคนตีผึ้งป่า ต.สันป่ายาง อ.แม่แตง จ.เชียงใหม่ : ซีรีส์วิถีคน [CC]

Ban Iak, San Pa Yang Subdistrict, Chiang Mai Province, is mostly mountainous and surrounded by lush forests. During the hot season of March and April, longan orchards and a variety of flowers provide excellent food for the bees, which often build nests in the large banyan and rubber trees that dot the village. This is the reason why beekeeping has been a long-standing practice. Every year during this time, bees build nests in trees such as rubber and banyan trees, with around 40-50, sometimes as many as 100, depending on the tree. The number of nests varies from tree to tree. The bees choose to build nests on large branches, with some branches containing as many as three or four nests. The most skilled and revered beekeeping master here is Uncle Korn, or Nikorn Kanthanee. Despite being 65 years old, he boasts over 30 years of experience and is a highly respected beekeeping leader. Uncle Korn explained that beekeeping requires teamwork. A team of five cannot work alone. The five-person team divides duties. 1. The survey team, during the month of bee season, must trek through the forest to inspect the giant bee hives in the trees to determine if they have started building nests. If so, mark them with a marker to mark the location. 2. The team must drive the ladders up the trees so that the beekeepers can step up. 3. The team must receive and deliver the honey drums when the beekeepers bring the honey drums down from the trees. Beekeeping is crucial. Dressing is crucial. Wear a tight-fitting shirt, three layers of clothing, three layers of pants, one layer of rubber gloves, and, most importantly, a bee stinger, or hat, to protect the face from bees. The bee stinger is made from fertilizer sacks sewn onto a wire mesh net. They must also prepare a bee net to use as a bee repellent after the mission is over. Uncle Korn explained that climbing up to retrieve the hives is dangerous. Uncle Korn and Kaen have no personal protective equipment. It requires skill and experience. Uncle Korn and his team will step on the ladders one by one to climb up, stepping on each branch. The utmost caution is required. A mistake could mean life, and be careful not to drop the knife, as this could be dangerous for the people below. Beekeeping for the villagers here reflects a tradition of honesty. Once honey, larvae, and royal jelly are collected, they are sold. Uncle Korn splits the money equally among everyone, as everyone is equally tired. Although he and the climber take on more risks, they give the same amount because they want their team to earn enough income to support their families. More importantly than the money, the team's unity is crucial. The two-month beekeeping is crucial to the villagers' lives. The income from honey sales can support their children through high school and even their degrees. After beekeeping, they share it among themselves for several more months. The village headman, Father Luang Khamchan Intham, explains that the honey here is called "fifth month honey." The village gardens are chemical-free and are left to nature, so mother bees pollinate the flowers. This is why wild bees are abundant. Follow the series "Witthi Khon" on Monday, September 13, 2021, from 5:30 PM to 6:00 PM on Thai PBS. Watch reruns on http://www.thaipbs.or.th/TheConnect ------------------------------------------------------- Subscribe to our channel for more great shows at: http://thaip.bs/YSBht5j And follow Thai PBS online at: Website: http://www.thaipbs.or.th Facebook: http://www.fb.com/ThaiPBS Twitter:   / thaipbs   Instagram:   / thaipbs   LINE: http://www.thaipbs.or.th/AddLINE YouTube:    / thaipbs