I’m an unlikely beekeeper. I really never thought I’d have two beehives in by backyard in Langdon, or that groups of kids would be in my yard learning about bees, or that I would be writing this article or hosting an info session about beekeeping. I came across my love of honeybees quite by accident.
In 2012 I was tired. I had completed my education, worked long hours, and I needed to find something restful. My wife, an avid gardener, took me along to a garden show and I overheard someone talking about beekeeping. I was intrigued. By the next week I was visiting with a rural beekeeper, and soon after I bought my first backyard beehive. With shaky hands I lifted the lid and peeked inside the box to see a small huddle of honeybees in need of a home. Right then and there I became their keeper.
By creating a safe home for honeybees, we allow them to get back to doing what bees do best – making things beautiful. They’re a vital part of the land around us, pollinating everything from cucumbers, berries, and apple trees, to soybeans and canola. Did you know that 1 out of 3 bites of food you eat are a direct result of honeybee pollination? Needless to say, if honeybees died off, we would be in big trouble.
The threat is real. Honeybees around the world, and in Alberta, are not doing well. In Alberta about 30% of our bees die each year; chemicals, disease, poor care – we’re not sure exactly why the bees are dying so rapidly. But we can take some simple steps towards creating a bee-friendly community. We can have a booming Chestermere and a blooming Chestermere, we just need to work together to make some good choices.
Here are some things that you can do to make a booming Chestermere into a blooming Chestermere.
Plant honeybee friendly plants in your garden this year. A quick search online or a visit to your local greenhouse will give you a lot of great plant options, even for the smallest yard. Keep an eye out for honeybees and bumblebees throughout the summer.
We can make safe homes for our honeybees. Around the world people keep bees in their gardens, on rooftops, on their patios, or in public gardens. Did you know there are hundreds of backyard beehives in Calgary? My wife and I have our two hives in our garden 10 feet from our deck where we BBQ, visit with friends, play with the dog, and enjoy the summer. Our garden is blossoming and it’s a lot of fun.
Help ease fears through education. Honeybees have been given a bad wrap. Help your kids learn the difference between wasps (which bother us on our back decks and scavenge for our food) and honeybees or bumble bees (who visit plants and have no interest in bothering us). When TV cartoons characterize bees in a negative way, our kids can develop fears. Education can change that; so talk with a beekeeper, visit an apiary (like the amazing Chinook Honey Company in Okotoks), or read a book from the library. You’ll be amazed at these remarkable and gentle creatures.
You’re invited to come to a story-filled bee-themed presentation called, “The Homeless Honeybee: The Adventures of a Backyard Beekeeper” on March 20th at noon and 6:30pm at the Chestermere Public Library.
Dr. Preston Pouteaux is a pastor at Lake Ridge Community Church in Chestermere and a bumbling backyard beekeeper.
