United States Honey Bee population are declining at an annual rate of thirty percent (30%) every year.
WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?
Bees pollinate more than one-hundred (100) types of crops in the United States, including produce, and crops that you are growing at home: berries, peppers, melons, squash, avocados, lettuces, and all things goodness.
The Future of food depends on healthy bees.
As stated before, we are going to be introducing you to backyard beekeeping soon, but I want to give you some resources if you have an interest in keeping bees. For all of Artisan Farm Company serving cities, here are some great groups to get connected with.
Portland: Portland Urban Beekeepers
www.portlandurbanbeekeepers.org
Seattle: Puget Sound Beekeepers
www.pugetsoundbees.org
Phoenix: Beekeepers of Central Arizona
www.azbaca.org
San Diego: San Diego Beekeeping Society
www.sandiegobeekeepingsociety.com
Los Angeles: Honey Love Urban Beekeeping
www.honeylove.org
Vancouver: Strathcona Beekeepers
www.strathconabeekeepers.blogspot.com
Experts believe that multiple factors - Including parasites, pesticides, and loss of habitat are contributing to decline of bees.
Ways you can help:
- Plant Flowers: Growing a mixture of native flowers, with different colors, shapes, and bloom times, will help steady the decline of the Honey Bee. Remember to grow Organically, and do not use pesticides, as they have been to show up in pollen, and honey production.
- Make Space: Leave brush piles, and bare patches of soil to help native bees dig nests. We will cover backyard beekeeping at another time, but remember Mason Bees, can be a great way to start beekeeping, and help preserve our pollinators.
- Go ORGANIC: To help promote healthy ecosystems, and healthy bees, choose Organic foods, Organic seeds, and Organic transplants for your garden.
We are spending some time this week in Seattle, Washington; looking at all the great things urban farm. I encourage all of you to take interest in bees. They go hand-in-hand with urban gardening. Beehive set-up is one of our services at Artisan Farm Company, and anything you can do is a service to us all, and our honey making friends.