Commemoration of P.I.Prokopovych

The President of the Organizing Committee of the XXXXIII International Apimondia Congress, Chairman of the Board of NGO “Brotherhood of Ukrainian beekeepers” Tetyana Vasylkivska, Deputy Chairman of the “Brotherhood of Ukrainian beekeepers” Serhiy Shmulya, Head of the Kyiv regional organization of  the “Brotherhood of Ukrainian beekeepers” Vitaliy Davydenko and Head of the Chernihiv regional organization of  the “Brotherhood of Ukrainian beekeepers” Petro Balash on July 7, 2012 visited home of the famous Ukrainian beekeeper P.I. Prokopovych and commemorated him in the village Palchyky, where he is buried. It has become a tradition in the "Brotherhood" before the birthday of the outstanding figure to put flowers on his grave, visiting the village of Palchyky.

The Ukrainian beekeeper, the founder of commercial beekeeping Petro I. Prokopovych (10 July 1775, village of Mytchenky, Bakhmach district, Chernihiv region — 3 April 1850, village of Palchyky, Bakhmach district, Chernihiv region) introduced a number of novelties in world beekeeping. Among his most important inventions was a frame in separate honey chamber of his beehive. He created bee hives with movable frames, allowing the honeycomb to be manipulated and the honey to be harvested with little disruption to the bee colony. Millions of beekeepers in the world use his invention. Another invention was a wooden partition with apertures, which is passable only for working bees, presently called queen excluder. It made possible getting pure honey in the frames.

Prokopovych set up the first beekeeping school in the Russian Empire and Europe that prepared more than 700 qualified beekeepers during 53 years of existence. It was located in the village of Mytchenky, Konotop district, Chernihiv region, and since 1830 — at the small village of Palchyky.

As a beekeeper, Prokopovych owned 10 000 colonies and supplied honey to the royal court. Prokopovych published more than 60 articles in the newspapers and magazines. Many of his findings remain important now. The Ukrainians honour the great teacher. Monuments for Ivan Prokopovych were built in Baturyn, Ivano-Frankivsk, Lviv. The Kyiv Institute of beekeeping was named after P.I. Prokopovych.

On July 7, many beekeepers and villagers of Palchyky gathered at the grave of P.I. Prokopovych. Tetyana Vasylkivska presented the Head of the Chernihiv regional organization of the “Brotherhood of Beekeepers of Ukraine” Petro Balash and the Head of the Kyiv regional organization of the “Brotherhood of Beekeepers of Ukraine” Denysenko Vitaliy with the Certificates of the Organizing Committee of the XXXXIII International Apimondia Congress. They have been empowered to be at the head of the working groups in respective fields. Shmulia Serhiy presented the most active beekeepers of the Chernihiv and Nizhyn regional organizations of the “Brotherhood of Beekeepers of Ukraine” with Diplomas of the “Brotherhood of Beekeepers of Ukraine”.

Tetyana Vasylkivska emphasized the preservation of Ukrainian beekeeping traditions under modern conditions, when intensive society progress dictates the need for reforms in beekeeping industry in order to protect the environment, nature. Shmulia Serhiy urged the beekeepers to be active in public life and exert every effort for the beekeeping revival. Davydenko Vitaliy noted the positive work of many nongovernmental beekeeping associations, calling them “flowers in the field”, where every flower has its own life and development, and together they should work in harmony for the benefit of beekeeping.

In the village of Palchyky, Tetyana Vasylkivska met the Head of the village Yuriy M. Nevolko. The international events during the XXXXIII International Apimondia Congress will be held in October 2013 in Baturyn, Mytchenky, Palchyky. Foreign guests and Congress delegates will visit the fatherland of Prokopovych during the Tour Program of the Congress. The Head of the village expressed readiness to assist in welcoming guests. During the conversation, it turned out that the villagers are always very happy to see tourists and guests in their village, where Prokopovych worked. But the village of Palchyky is the only village in the region (!) without gas supply (!). This problem is vitally important for villagers. And the future of this unique place depends on the solving this problem.