Bees on the road

Restoring the bee travelling lorry

We (Myriam and Jürg) are passionate organic beekeepers who are deeply connected to nature and down-to-earth. Our beekeeping is species-appropriate and we currently look after 60 bee colonies at eight locations. Experts from Bio Suisse inspect our working methods every year.

Jürg, who completed his training as a beekeeper with a federal certificate in 2018, also contributes his knowledge as a consultant and, together with Ronny and Marcel, promotes the next generation of beekeepers. Myriam, who will complete her training in 2024, is also deeply rooted in the beekeeping community, taking on important roles on the board of the Swiss Apitherapy Association and the Swiss Pollen Beekeepers Association.

The restoration of our lorry, Swiss historical artifact, is a fascinating journey through time. It is an opportunity to preserve the past and make it accessible for future generations.

Our goal is clear: we don’t just want to restore the vehicle, but also continue to use it as a bee-travelling-carriage. When the agricultural land slowly withers in spring, life awakens in the higher regions! Where the air is clear and fresh, a very special season begins. The alpine roses unfold their splendour and a variety of herbs bloom in their glory. This unique diversity gives rise to a wonderful honey that captures the essence of the mountains. A true wonder of nature! At the same time, the bees are protected from vandalism, theft, wind and weather…

Imagine this lorry shining in new splendour and driving through the countryside to its destination - a real eye-catcher! We are of course aware that the Berna cannot be operated in a totally environmentally-friendly manner, but we firmly believe that this vehicle is worth preserving. We will therefore handle it carefully and using it sparingly.

A jewel of Swiss lorry history

In 1902, Joseph Wyss began producing motor vehicles in Bern under the brand name Berna. In 1929, the company was taken over by Saurer, and the production of both brands was proudly continued.

A vehicle from 1948 that once served as a military postal vehicle and was later converted into a bee traveller - a real piece of Swiss history! Today, the Berna is a rarity that is rarely seen.

And just imagine: The engine runs almost flawlessly! A restoration would be a dream come true to bring this historic jewel back to its former glory. Despite the challenges - a leaking roof, mouldy wooden interior walls and the battle against rust - the hope remains that this vehicle can be saved and preserved.

Restoration in 3 steps...

In order to achieve our goals and successfully realise our projects, we need your support! Whether financial means or active help through manpower or womanpower - any kind of assistance is very welcome and indispensable. With your help, we can achieve great things!

Our first major goal is to raise CHF 33,000.00 to repair or replace the roof and to renew the woodwork in the driver’s cabin and to get rid of the mould. If there is still enough money, we also want to tackle the worst of the rust on the vehicle.

Our second goal is to raise an additional CHF 16,500.00 to finance the completion of the rust treatment and a new paint job.

For our third goal, we need a further CHF 5,500.00 to invest in the interior of the back part of the lorry. We need 10 - 12 new wooden beehives, a work surface and storage space for the necessary tools. It is an exciting task that is very close to our hearts!

We would like to thank all our supporters from the bottom of our hearts! Your help makes a huge difference and as a token of our appreciation we have prepared some fantastic rewards for you - they are our way of saying thank you and showing you how much we appreciate your support.

PS: We don’t just want to work with companies, we want to achieve a lot with our own efforts… Would you be happy to help with the restoration? If you are a woodturner, carpenter, tinsmith or painter, for example, and perhaps even have experience with vintage cars, then get in touch with us. We would also be delighted to have your manual support! It’s much more fun to work together on this exciting project…

… and last but not least: Share our project, because with this crowdfunding, too, it’s ALL OR NOTHING! That means that if we do not reach our 1st target, the support will not be paid out and will be transferred back to you.