We launched our Farm Steward program with a donation of four hives and 48,000 bees to Torrey Olsen's small organic farm in Sebastapol. Before we beegin buzzing about the bees, we wanted first to thank you for your business with us as your patronage allows us to make this donation to Gabriel Farm and support sustainable small family farming. Here is a video from that day, a demonstration about how to set up a bee hive.
A contingent from The FruitGuys convened in Torrey's orchard to meet Katja and Doug Vincent of beekind and the bees. The Vincent's gave a thrilling demonstration of hive set up. The bees were glommed around the little box holding the queen and were gently and quite easily poured into the new hive. Although everyone stood back, there is little danger of being stung, as the bees at this stage are quite docile. Yet once they make the new hive their home and social order is determined, guards are set out front.
The FruitGuys are working with our suppliers and farmers in adding value - like bees - to their organic and sustainable farming practices. These four hives will supply pollination power to Torrey's fruiting trees and lavender rows, and produce a fantastic organic honey.
The current news about the honey bee crisis and the mysterious Colony Collapse Disorder has made even the non-farmers among us aware of how vital bees are to our ecosystem. We certainly wouldn't have a FruitCase without them. It takes 50,000 bee hives to pollinate Maine's blueberries, 30,000 for New York's apple crop and 1.2 million hives to get California almonds to produce. To be fruitful, you need pollination. And part of recovering the bee population requires that more small farmers like Torrey keep more hives.
Videos with Torrey Olson and other FruitGuys farmers
