SLOVENIA'S 5 CORE VALUES

Each hive was decorated with different colours and patterns to make it easier for the bees to return home. When Jože opened the apiary door in the morning, the first thing he always heard was the buzzing. »If you listen to them,« he liked to say, »they tell you more than you might think.«

On that summer afternoon, his grandchildren Maja, Sandra and Marko were sitting on a bench in front of his apiary. Each of them with a slice of bread, generously spread with homemade honey. Jože produced a lot of honey, but he always distributed it among his family, neighbours and those who needed it. »Honey is a gift,« he told them, »and you don't hoard gifts just for yourself.«

»Grandpa, why do you like bees so much?« asked Maja.

Jože smiled and took off his hat. »Because they teach me values that are often forgotten today; trust, respect, help and moderation.« The grandchildren looked at each other in surprise, so he continued, »Look at the bees. They trust each other to do their job. One collects the nectar, another looks after the larvae, another protects the hive. None is more important than the others.«

Marko pointed towards the hives. »Aren't you afraid of them?«

»If you respect them, you have nothing to fear,« Jože replied. »You have to treat them calmly. You must not be loud and boisterous. You must not take all the honey from them. You have to leave them some for the winter.«

He explained why smoke calms bees. He taught them how to approach the hive and how to listen and observe. »A beekeeper is never alone,« he said. »He is part of a community of bees and nature.« He told them how the beekeepers in the village always helped each other when one of them lost a hive or when the harvest was bad.

His grandchildren always loved coming to see him and learn the important lessons he taught them. 

He always proudly explained, »This is all part of our heritage. If we don't preserve it, it will slowly disappear, just as the bees would disappear if we didn't look after them.« He explained that beekeeping is not just a job, but a skill that is passed down from generation to generation. His grandfather was a beekeeper. »Each generation adds something of its own. It is important to know where you come from and to appreciate the work of your ancestors."

Jože's knowledge was a gift for his grandchildren. They promised him that they would tell stories and always respect nature. 

Maja Grošelj, 21. 12. 2025