Fanny Caiza even harnesses bee venom in a unique adventure that starts with ten hives | Report | News

Fanny Caiza, 69, has spent almost half her life with beekeeping, which is all about keeping and caring for bees, whose products include honey, propolis, wax, pollen and more.

When Fanny discovered the activity was her passion, she studied agricultural engineering and worked in a listed company. Calculated on par, I take care of bees and collect honey, but only sporadically because I don’t have more time.

“I started training myself, reading and researching, because before the internet, there was a lot of reading. So, since working, I have devoted myself to beekeeping on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, and have started producing honey.’,” he said, adding that the process is mostly done by bees.

“The process of getting the honey is interesting because the bee does everything, it looks for the female flowers that will give it nectar. They deposit it in each cell of the honeycomb and fill it up. When the honey is ready , another species of bee emerges and produces wax. This seals the cell, meaning it’s honey already,” explains Fanny.

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He also mentioned that harvesting can take up to eight months, depending on flowering and the number of bees. So in 2006, Fanny was keen to engage in the activity when she could, until she was robbed:“they lowered my morale I had to leave the country,” he said.

However, the desire to continue the mission brought Fanny back to Ecuador and, with a loan from a relative, she decided to start over, this time devoting all her time to the matter. This time the return was ten single-layer hives. “Then I added the second floor, the frame, and I had 200 hives,” he said.

The progress was the result of hard work but after his farm was attackedwhere they put insecticide and set fire to the bees, Successfully saved 80 hives. Despite those blows, Fanny shows herself ‘strong’ Even more products were launched.

Now, in addition to honey, pollen, propolis, It has expectorant syrup, mead, soap, shampoo, candles, lip balm, and its famous bee venom ointment: It is used to treat conditions such as arthritis, osteoarthritis, sinusitis, muscle pain, and more. Fees range from $2 to $22.

“I detoxify. Before, people did it by biting, there was a lot of ignorance on the subject, not to offend people, but those are not the process. I was trained as an expert They taught me to extract poison without killing the bees’ affirms Fanny, who is also an apitherapist, assuring that it’s not just about applying ointment, it’s about getting a diagnosis.

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The entrepreneur uses African bees and has learned about their behavior, even which flowers they like best. Instead of scaring the bees away when they approached an area away from the hive, he pointed out, they just had to be allowed to walk in their space. Now, if you are near a hive, emphasize that you are always using equipment and smoke to scare them away.

“I’ve always known that bees need water, because like flowers need water, they need water, because if they don’t have the conditions to survive, they will leave. I try to maintain their paradise so that they don’t abandon me”, said Fanny, laughing.

The entrepreneur sells her products especially at fairs, but also in specialty stores in Samborondón, Daule or at home. The monthly production and sales volume is about 300 vehicles.

For a beekeeper, a career is about exploiting an activity. “If what we’re going to do doesn’t generate us, why not start? Also, you have to give it added value, which is variety. For example, sometimes instead of selling a piece of honey, you sell soap and shampoo,” he said. explain.

Fanny said the process was complicated because there were no other options. “At 69, they don’t give jobs, so better do something yourself. However, it is not assumed for the sake of undertaking. It is very important that one has to be there, with purpose, with knowledge,” he stressed.

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The woman said that this activity is a kind of love, and every achievement is worth celebrating, such as buying a generator, drinking stolen water; repairing every space on the farm, such as placing more seats, tables. He said that everything is bit by bit.

“Thank God we’ve moved on, we’ve got drinking water, we’ve made an economic effort. Now we can water the plants and the bees have water. God bless us in the future where we already have electricity, basic services, and a decent little house,” Fanny said.

His dream is not to sell products, but to train more medicinal beekeepers Even open the tourist space to experience the experience of extracting honey.

Fanny pointed out that everything is achieved through hard work, and she firmly believes that she can do it. “That’s why when you’re starting a business, it’s important to make yourself feel more comfortable. It’s very important, otherwise you feel like you’re wearing a tight suit and have to because the time is up. Think that all you’re doing is making progress every day”, Fan Ni says she loves seeing how the bees approach her flowers and hearing their buzzing. (Yo)