The beginning

Our beautiful Slovenian saying states that you can’t choose your father or your mother however, you can choose your mother-in-law and father-in-law. This is where I have had luck as Martin Adlešič is one of the biggest and most innovative beekeepers from Bela krajina who has been beekeeping already for many years with over 100 stacked-up beehives in two transportable units. Besides this he is a also a beekeeping innovator who makes all his hives at home along with any improvements.


My Father-in-Law’s Transportable Apiary

Love, wanted me to marry his daughter (his only child) and as “the beekeeper’s daughter” for the dowry she received 30 bee families in stacked-up hives and I received magazines called “The Slovenian Beekeeper” from 1970 onwards for studying beekeeping. Therefore, in 1989 this is how my beekeeping adventure had started and I hope it will last for many years. As the right husband and “householder” I took the animals into my care, which turned out to be a bad decision as these animals “stung” really bad. As a preventative measure I started carrying a bigger picture of me so that at least the people close to me could recognize me.


My First Stand

The first days of my beekeeping career were difficult as I didn’t have any experience and differentiating between the drone and queen bee was problematic. There were no problems after we coloured the queen bee. Thank God that my father-in-law always stood by my side with nerves of steel and good advice along with my wife Greta who had the medication to relieve the swelling from the bee stings.


Bees in Action

Son’s help

Under my father-in-law’s tactics I slowly gained experience and slowly began to understand the organisation and life of the bees. I already achieved some nice results in the first few years, which gave me added momentum and will-power. I will never forget July 1991 when as a soldier I defended the southern border of Slovenia and the bees were working like crazy. At that time they produced 6 kg per family in one day. In short, I gained experience and knowledge throughout the years with the help of my father-in-law and mentor Martin Adlešič.

Therefore now, I can say I am an old pro in beekeeping with LR beehives. I have come to realise the golden rule in beekeeping which states that there are no rules when it comes to bees.