By Carie Moore
They’re noisy, small, fast, busy, and bright. You know what I’m talking about right?
I'm talking about bees! You thought I was going to say kids on summer break, didn’t you? Buzzing around you continuously looking for food?
They can accomplish many tasks at once and they don’t even realize it. Yes, I’m still talking about bees.
Did you know that 1 out of every 3 bites we eat is dependent on a bee or pollinator to produce it? Bees and pollinators also make the world a beautiful place because many flowers rely on bees for reproduction.
Bees play a truly amazing role in food production. They are out to do a job -- pollinate -- but they also make thick, rich honey for us to enjoy. Honey flavors and color can vary based on hive location and plants they visit.
Did you know that bumble bees "buzz pollinate" tomato plants?!? Their wings and bodies produce a frequency needed to release the pollen. Having bumble bees around gardens and greenhouses greatly improves tomato yield.
During the spring and summer months, bees are hauled from California almond orchards and placed all over the northeast part of North Dakota, usually within a mile of canola fields. Oil and flowering crops, along with almonds, are heavily dependent on bees to pollinate. The more plants and trees flowering, the more access to pollen for bees, which means more honey. Bees make North Dakota and California 2 of the top 3 honey producing states.
Many of us enjoy almonds on our salads or just have a pack as a snack. They are a "healthy fat" that’s needed to absorb important A, D, K, and E vitamins. Flax oil is an even healthier option than canola oil, but both are widely used for cooking.
Honey is a great carbohydrate replacement in recipes and adds some additional sweetness.
For those of us who love that great steak or hamburger off the grill, thank a bee! Alfalfa is one of the top feed value crops for cattle and you guessed it, it’s pollinated by bees.
Do you enjoy a crisp apple on a summer day? Cut it open and count the seeds. Pollination success is measured by the number of seeds. A properly pollinated apple has 10 seeds.
So, grab some Honey Nut Cheerios or Honeycombs with those noisy, small, fast, busy, bright, and buzzing KIDS who will soon be on summer break. If you are interested in doing more with your family garden or flowers this summer, the Bayer Feed A Bee program has great resources, info, and freebies as well as great summer recipes that are that are grill and kid friendly.
Bee seeing you!