Cardigos is included in the production controlled area of Melbandos, a regional Beekeepers Cooperative. Although seriously affected by forest fires, our community of beekeepers is strongly committed to provide you with the best product, with origin and quality officially certified.

  www.melbandos.pt 

It should be noted that  Melbandos is also an example in preserving the cultural heritage of our land, since they have chosen to install their central processing unit in a former elementary school of the county, courtesy of City Hall. That made possible to recover this asset , thus maintaining a very evocative element of our memories, traditions and identity.

Melbandos's central processing unit

All about examples and the preservation of memories and traditions, we have found someone dedicated to keeping some of them very alive by showing us step by step how the hives were made in the past. They were called 'Cortiços' since they were made of cork;  the inner rods are 'trancas' (locks) and the stakes that hold the lid are called 'sovinos' , all made with branches of a bush called 'esteva'. And if looks like an occupation of a retired nostalgic person, it is really the work of someone born in the mid 80's wich takes this job very seriously. His name is Hugo Martins, and although is blog is written only in portuguese, you can check it out at:

www.abelhasdosor.blogspot.com