I love walking by the bee hives kept on my farm by Arlen and Mona Ziegler, owners and operators of Plum Branch Honey, Clear Lake, WI.
The hive boxes are stacked on top of one another, their area encircled by electric fence to ward off any curious bear.
During summer, hundreds of bees swirl around the hives and travel to the wild flowers and tree blossoms across the farm, and miles beyond. My husband Dave Toftness and I don’t use pesticides on the farm, so clouds of bees float through the succession of wild flowers and tree blossoms across the pastures.
In the winter, the hives are wrapped in insulated pads that are silver colored on their outer surface. I caught up with Arlen during a winter-time visit to the bees. He generously opened the lid to show how the bees are kept in a supply of sugar for the cold months.
Dave and I really appreciate the work Arlen and Mona do to keep bees healthy and available despite the challenges of weather and pests. We need bees to pollinate the hundreds of vegetable, fruit and herb plants that feed us.
Co-host Dave Corbett and I enjoyed this in-studio chat, and we hope you’ll enjoy this podcast. You can message Arlen and Mona via Facebook.com/plumbranchhoney
Chat with Erin Rupp, Pollinate MN: encouraging weeds, old-fashioned flowers, hedgerows for the sake of the bees
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Uniform grasses, manicured farms, absolutely clean fence rows, monocultures as far as the eye can see, bare ground, all-hybrid plantings – these artificial landscapes are robbing us at least twice. Once, because they don’t supply bees and other pollinators with the food and shelter they need. And again because without pollinators, we humans won’t have the diversity of fruits and vegetables we need for our food supply.
Bees pollinate vegetables and fruit
Blue vervain
Monarchs among the milkweed
So, what to do?
In this Deep Roots Radio interview, Erin Rupp, founder and executive director of Pollinate MN shares observations about the population declines of bees and other pollinators, and why this matters to us – gardeners, farmers and food lovers. She also describes the types of plantings and habitats needed to encourage pollinator growth and health.
Jessica Manderfeld - about sensory exhibit of bees in art, food, drink and agriculture
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Honey Bee
Bees – a hot topic in agriculture, food and in art.
Bees are essential to the pollination of hundreds of crops all across the United States. Bees’ critical role is why scientists, farmers and food lovers are alarmed by hive collapse and environmental threats to these pollinators.
Bees’ contribution to food, cosmetics, and beverages, like mead, are on display at the gallery space of the Farm Table Foundation in Amery, Wisconsin. The exhibit was developed by, and features the detailed artwork of, Jessica “Turtle” Manderfeld, the foundation’s marketing and creative director.
With extensive formal training and experience in art and cooking, Jessica’s paintings are reminiscent of the detailed botanical drawings of yesteryear.
For information about similar exhibits focusing on wildlife and habitat conservation, visit www.naturalheritageproject.org.
I hope you enjoy this Deep Roots Radio interview and plan a visit to the exhibit:
We’ve heard about it again and again: the bees are dying off, whole hives collapsing or just disappearing. Recent news stories told us the transplants we buy at local greenhouses contain pesticides that’ll kill bees. And we know that without bees and other pollinators some of our favorite foods will simply not grow. At all!
Join me and co-host Dave Corbett as we chat with Erin Rupp, executive director and founder of Pollinate Minnesota. What do bees do in winter? And how do they communicate with one another? And just what do they mean to the veggies and fruits eat?
What:Deep Roots Radio interview with Erin Rupp, Pollinate Minnesota ED/founder When: Saturday, Dec. 3, 2016, 9:00-9:30AM Central Time Where: WPCA RADIO, 93.1FM and streamed live on www.wpcaradio.org Why: Many fruits and vegetables depend on pollinators, like bees, to carry pollen from plant to plant so that fruit and seeds will grow. No bees, no fruit! Learn how Pollinate Minnesota is working to protect and encourage these critical workers in our food system.
I love walking by the bee hives kept on my farm by Arlen and Mona Ziegler, owners and operators of Plum Branch Honey, Clear Lake, WI.
