"More than we can imagine depends on our ability to turn the crisis into an opportunity for change." - Gunther Hauk, Spikenard Farm, Bee Sanctuary Founder |
While we would like to say the Urban Bee’s story is grandiose, it’s really quite simple. The journey started off with the company’s founder planting three blueberry bushes in the backyard for fun. This small garden ended up developing into a desire to grow more food for a healthier lifestyle and better weight lifting results in the gym. Three blueberry bushes turned into an ever-expanding garden. A natural extension to gardening, though, are your pollinators… they’re imperative. As the saying goes, if you build it, they will come.
And so they came. At first, there was only a modest number of bumblebees, but they were enough. Bumblebees are especially fascinating as they’re somewhat of an aerodynamic anomaly. They are like oversized fairies with these undersized jetpacks for wings that they haven’t quite figured out how to work yet. When you get past the humor of them fumbling over flowers and realize they’re simply parents out and about gathering food to bring back to their nest to survive, it’s very humbling. Watching them and feeling that peace and honor of just being able to observe them is so rewarding and enhancing to one’s life. As the garden grew, so did the fascination for the bee, and other pollinators. When it was learned just how much of a keystone species the bees are for economies, the balance in nature, and human lives, coupled with the fact that bee populations worldwide are in decline, the decision was easy to become a beekeeper. “Beekeeping” seems an odd phrase to use because, the beekeeper gives the bees what they need, a suitable and safe environment to thrive in, and in return they enrich our world with pollination, fruits and veggies, honey and everything else that they bring. They do so much for us, and they ask for nothing in return. Yet, the human race has been utilizing unsustainable agricultural, beekeeping, and environmental practices that have been systematically destroying pollinator populations, not just bees. We engage in using pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides, not realizing that we are hurting ourselves in the process. However, it’s an absolute necessity now to look at what we’re doing in nature and how we treat the animals that live in nature, both domesticated and feral. These beings will give us what we need, if we give them what they need. We now have the choice to either learn and change in freedom or we are going to be forced to change. The bees are not concerned about humans, as they have plenty of work to be done. If they don’t produce enough brood and honey, it could mean death for the colony over the winter months. All they wish to do is survive. Consequently, Urban Bee LLC was born and is focused on helping our pollinators not just survive, but thrive! We do this by using sustainable, chemical free, biodynamic practices, helping educate our clients and the general public about the bee's importance, and, finally, consult our clients on how to steward their own properties in a way that nurtures life. Salud. |