To Bee or Not To Bee

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

Whether t'is nobler to have a hive in my yard or keep it simple and just plant some bee friendly plants this year.  I have been considering keeping bees for a while now but I am just not sure if I am ready to take the plunge or not.  The greatest motivating factor for me in is that bee populations all over the world are dying at an alarming rate.  

Bees have a enormous impact on our food supply, over $15 billion dollars in crop value.  Approximately 1/3 of all food grown in this country is a result of bee pollination.   Compounding the loss of these bees is the fact that there are fewer managed honey bees in this country - managed bee colonies have dropped from 5 million in 1940 to only 2.5 million today.  The hives we do have are shipped from farm to farm like migrant workers to pollinate crops throughout the year which places a huge stress on the colonies.  Another article was just released today re-stating the urgency of this issue http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110104/ts_afp/usanimalagricultureresearch

So, it is clear that we need more managed hives.  I think that every farmer, especially those who grow crops, should be required to keep their own hives.  Even so, we all have to do our part to keep their populations from dwindling away.  Michelle Obama has helped to bring this issue to the forefront by starting her own hive at White House as a compliment to her organic kitchen garden.

Ok so pros and cons of starting my own hive:

In the pro column I have a friend in town who had kept bees for years and would be a great mentor.  My best friend in Maryland is a successful bee keeper and my father who grew up on a farm also used to keep bees, so there are many people to turn to for advice.  Another plus is that my garden would certainly thrive with all that pollination.  Then there is the obvious benefit - HONEY! 

I guess the big item in the con column is placing yet another demand on my very limited time.  Does my husband's objection count? If so, I should add that one too.  Then there is the cost, not astronomical but in this economy maybe better to put off till next year.  Then there is the summer travel, can't manage a hive if I am away.

Alternatives:

Well I already have many goodies in my garden that the bees really love, raspberries, lavender, blueberries (not sure if they will survive the winter or the groundhogs that have burrowed under them), winter savory and rosemary although this too seems to have fallen victim to a very harsh winter.  Perhaps I could just add a few more bee friendly plants this year to keep our winged friends coming to my garden.

If you are like me and are not ready to start your own hive here are some ways you can help.  Haagen Dazs has a campaign called Help the the Honey Bees, the website is terrific and fun for kids as well: http://www.helpthehoneybees.com.  Here is another article with easy tips http://www.ehow.com/how_4838802_help-honey-bees.html.  PBS has a great article too http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/silence-of-the-bees/how-can-you-help-the-bees/36/

Last but not least, if you plan to become a bee keeper or if you are just looking for honey bee products be sure to go to Draper's Super Bee at http://www.draperbee.com/.

If any of you out there have other suggestions I would love to hear them!  Till next, time be sure to opt for local honey next time you shop!