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HONEY BEES
we dig the pollinators & the producers.
Bees are a big deal to us and should be for you too. Because a world without bees is a bleak one. And a famished one.
Set aside for a moment about how tasty and good for you honey is, and take a moment to think about this. Seventy out of the top 100 human food crops, which supply about 90 percent of the world’s nutrition, are pollinated by bees.
That’s a lot of critical sustenance. It’s a scary amount of our food supply to jeopardize. What’s more, they’re also responsible for pollinating some of the healthiest foods for us like nuts, fruits, and vegetables.
what they do for us is simply incredible. their positive impact is undeniable and you’d think we’d treat them with more reverence than we do today.
Fortunately, in recent years, there has been both a growing awareness of the severe harm being done to our worldwide honey bee population and what to do to support them.
This page will serve as a hub of information for bee facts, what we do to support our bees, and what you can do too. Don’t worry, it’s not hard.
marketplace honey
We wanted more bees in our world and in Alameda so we installed several hives on our rooftop. We also sponsor several throughout Alameda.
Our hives are tended to by Mike Vigo of The Bee Ranchers. We make hyper-local honey for you to enjoy too. There’s a lot to discover.
bee the change
bee facts
- Honey bees – wild and domestic – perform about 80 percent of all pollination worldwide.
- When foraging, they will visit 50 – 100 flowers each pollination trip. To produce a pound of honey, bees will visit 2 million flowers and fly 55,000 miles.
- A single beehive can produce more than 100 pounds of honey.
- Honey contains all of the substances needed to sustain life including enzymes, water, minerals and vitamins.
- Honey bees can fly 10 – 15 mph, and will beat their wings 200 times per second. That’s 12,000 beats per minute and what gives them their buzz.
- There is only one queen in a colony, which can be as large as 80,000 bees in the summer. She produces all the worker bees and drones, laying up to 2,000 eggs a day.
what you can do
We promised it’s not hard to support the bees, and it’s not. Really, it’s about choosing to eliminate pesticides from our environment and choosing to support those who do. Below is an easy list of things you can do today. Bee the change.
1. Stop Using Insecticides
2. Avoid Seeds Coated with Insecticides
3. Read Labels on Garden Compost – watch out for inidacloprid
4. Plant bee-friendly plants – get organic wildflower seeds.
5. Create Habitat Gardens – let part of your land go wild. There is only one queen in a colony, which can be as large as 80,000 bees in the summer. She produces all the worker bees and drones, laying up to 2,000 eggs a day.
6. Become a Beekeeper – Or, Get a Hive
7. Buy Local Honey – Support your beekeepers.
8. Buy Organic Food.
9. Spread the Word.
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