Honey harvest underway as 200,000 bees work in Turku’s Ruissalo

Beekeeper Marko Leino is overseeing 200,000 bees in Turku’s Ruissalo as they gather this summer’s main honey harvest, reports Yle. Expectations for the season remain cautiously optimistic, though the final yield depends on the coming heat and rain.

Leino’s hives are in good condition, with bees actively converting nectar into honey. He notes that extreme heat can cut short flowering periods, while temperatures around 20°C are ideal. The true size of this year’s harvest will only be clear by late summer, when the honey is collected.

This is Leino’s first year keeping hives in the Ruissalo Botanical Garden area. A recent sample from one comb revealed a golden, runny honey with a distinct dandelion flavour. He primarily produces wildflower honey, with most of his 200 hives located in the Mynämäki region.

Across Finland, the beekeeping season has progressed well so far, according to the Finnish Beekeepers’ Association. However, weather conditions—drought, excessive heat, or prolonged rain—can still disrupt nectar production or prevent bees from foraging, forcing them to consume stored honey instead.

Finland produces an average of 2.4 million kilograms of honey annually, with peak years like 2019 and 2022 exceeding 3 million kilograms. The highest concentrations of hives and production are in Southwest Finland, Uusimaa, and the Häme, Pirkanmaa, and Satakunta regions, though honey is produced nationwide, including in the north.

Pohjoismaiden honey, known for its distinctive taste, is in demand elsewhere in Europe. Claude Flener, a honey producer in Lieto, notes growing Finnish interest in honey, especially in varieties that remain liquid. His range includes specialty honeys like buckwheat and linden, with northern Finnish forest berry honey particularly prized by Central and Southern European markets.