Before 1910 (end of Monarchy in Portugal) there was this Association called “Real Associação de Apicultura e Sericicultura de Portugal” (Royal Association of Beekeeping and Sericulture of Portugal) and my great great grandfather, Jorge de Almeida Lima, was its treasurer. Every two months they produced a magazine – “O Apicultor” ( The beekeeper).
Jorge de Almeida Lima was a very interesting person. Besides his passion for beekeeping, he had other hobbies. He was a recognized amateur photographer – in 1997, Chiado Museum, in Lisbon, showed an important exposition of his work; he was a rose producer – he participated in rose contests with 20 different roses; he was a dog breeder and a hunter, too. As a farmer and proprietor, he owned farms in many places in Portugal.
After he passed away in 1934, his older grandson, Frederico Oom, my grandfather, inherited Quinta do Lameiro and kept his grandfather’s hives alive. After that, in 1974, my brother Bernardo and myself (Frederico Oom Bowring Horgan) decided to restore the old hives and restart the beekeeping business – that is when Euromel was born. Now, in 2014, the next generation is already in the world of beekeeping – my son, Frederico José Horgan, came from Lisbon to work with us and follow the same passion of his great great great grandfather…
“How I became a beekeeper”
At Granja beach, where I meet my dear friend Christiano Van Zeller, distinct farmer and beekeeper in the Oporto area, I learned about mobile beekeeping. I knew about this modern system by having read some magazines on this matter.
I got interested in it with enthusiasm and visited his apiary in Douro. I was delighted with what I saw: his mobile hives produce a very clear and beautiful aromatic honey.
So, as soon as possible, I entered into the world of beekeeping and devoted myself to it. I started in my Lameiro farm, in the outskirts of Lisbon, Benfica, with four mobile hives Sussex.
In 1900, I arranged four swarms. Bees were introduced in the hives in April at another friend’s farm in Porcalhota, about 3km from Benfica.
After that, the hives were transported in May to Lameiro. They came on the heads of men, literally, thus they arrived safely, without spoiling anything. Well understood that the change was made during the night.They kept up very strong and in July I took a collection of beautiful and tasteful honeycombs.
With such good results, I have dedicated myself to beekeeping, presently having in my apiary four hives Sussex, six Sequeiras, one Dadant Blatt and as a trial, one Vells.
