Monday, April 5, 2010

Bees' Knees


To Bee or not to Bee, that is the question.

This is as close as I am willing to get to our beehives. Even for you.

 
We rent these bees. Can you believe that?

 
In my previous Office Girl life I rented movies and the occasional u-haul.

 
Renting insects is a new one for me.

 
The beekeeper brings them to our field and braves the bee stings to look after them. All we have to do is keep our distance, and pay the annual rental fee.

Bees pollinate the vegetable plants by transferring pollen from flower to flower. While wind pollination does some of this job, there is nothing like a directed effort by hundreds of these little darlings.

This direct pollination is especially beneficial for our crops such as cucumbers and squashes (members of the cucurbit family – work “cucurbit” into the conversation and amaze your friends!)

However, there has been a problem across North America in recent years as bee colonies have been mysteriously dying off in increasing numbers.

ABC News recently published a story on this problem. For more information on the issue of disappearing bee colonies and the resulting threat to the food supply, go to
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/honey-bees-dying-scientists-suspect-pesticides-disease-worry/story?id=10191391

4 comments:

  1. I didn't realize you had hives on the farm but of course it makes sense. I'm enjoying these posts. Keep up the good work!! Sister-in-law Sue :)

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  2. The problem of colony collapse is frightening. Where would we be without the miraculous work of bees? I am guessing it has something to do with pesticides.

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  3. Hi Laura;

    From the news stories I've read on this, it certainly does seem like pesticides are a factor, if not the only one.

    And of course, we need bees for honey also. :)

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I'd love to hear what you think.