ALTER- PEOPLE
Walti Zuber
Born in 1951 in Anniviers, Walti has always lived in the small village of Fang. In 1974, his father gave him his first beehive, and that’s all it took to spark his passion for bees. Today, he owns the largest apiary in the Val d’Anniviers.
I set up my paint business in 1973 and ran it until I retired in 2018.
I joined the Chandolin commune council in 1976 and was its last president before the merger of the Anniviers communes in 2008.
Being very active, I have developed my apiary, which now comprises around a hundred hives. I raise queens and young colonies, produce honey and practice pastoral farming by moving the hives to higher altitudes so that my bees can enjoy the divine nectar.
As the climate changes, so does the behavior of bees. I’ve noticed that honey flows are occurring earlier and earlier in the year. They are highly adaptable, but human activity and the use of pesticides are taking their toll on this species.
I’ve also revitalized several hectares of ancient terraced farmland in the Soussilllon region that our ancestors created to plant rye, corn, beans and potatoes, crops abandoned since the years 1950-1955; and which are now coming back to life with immense pleasure and respect for their hard work for their survival.