Novgorod beekeeper opens his house for tourists with interactive activities and master classes

Novgorod beekeeper Anton Zherebtsov won the competitive selection for the grant "Agrotourism". According to the regional Ministry of Agriculture, the funds in the amount of 10,000,000 will be provided to the winner in 2026, which will allow the Novgorod resident to implement the project "Ecocomplex "Taste of Honey Life"" - both educational and tourist-oriented.

Anton Zherebtsov is a hereditary beekeeper. In 2018, he realized the idea of ​​​​uniting six farms engaged in beekeeping, created the Novgorod Apiary cooperative. Since 2020, the enterprise has been holding excursions. Visitors are introduced to the features of keeping bees, and guests can also take part in the process of pumping honey. In winter, tourists participate in the technological process of producing honey products. People are interested in master classes on making cream honey, honey printed gingerbread and processing wax products with the subsequent production of wax figured candles.

“This project not only promotes the development of agrotourism in the region, but also contributes to the implementation of the national project “Technological Support for Food Security”, supporting domestic producers and expanding opportunities for promoting agricultural products,” the Novgorod Region government noted.

The author of the project "Ecocomplex "Taste of honey life"" plans to build a "Beekeeper's House". Its guests will be able to enjoy nature, try high-quality bee products, participate in master classes on making honey gingerbread, and also learn a lot about the life of bees.

According to the Minister of Agriculture of the Novgorod Region, Viktor Vitvitsky, the project has great potential for the development of agrotourism in our region.

"This is an excellent example of how to combine beekeeping traditions with modern trends in tourism. I am sure that the new eco-complex will become a point of attraction for tourists who want to get acquainted with the unique culture of honey production and enjoy the beauty of Novgorod nature. Support for such projects is an important part of our work to develop rural areas and ensure food security in the region," emphasized Viktor VITVITSKY.

The farmer notes that the grant funds will significantly expand the apiary’s capabilities and create even more comfortable conditions for receiving tourists.

"We are planning not only to build the Beekeeper's House, but also to organize interactive programs so that each guest can feel like part of our large bee family. We want to show that beekeeping is not just a job, it is a whole culture closely connected with the nature and traditions of our region," noted Anton ZHEREBTSOV.

Let us add that the Agrotourism grant competition was established by the Russian Ministry of Agriculture in 2021 as part of the federal project "Development of Rural Tourism". Every year, business projects of farmers in the Novgorod Region are selected and receive money for implementation. Anton Zherebtsov's project is already the fifth in the region: thanks to the federal grant, farmers in the Batetsky, Novgorodsky, Parfinsky and Valdai districts are developing rural recreation programs based on dairy and meat production, pond farming and a reindeer farm.

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