Pollinators

Our Summer 2015 Seasonal Collection is based on the theme, Pollinators, and it pays homage to the insects and animals that pollinate much of the food we eat. Without them, our diets would be diminished and our food systems in peril. Sadly, all pollinator populations are declining, and some at an alarming rate.

We think it's vital to spread the word about the decline in pollinators, and it's equally important to encourage our community to take concrete steps that will help pollinators survive:

• plant flowers
• say no to pesticides
• support local, organic farmers

Our local agricultural region produces some of the best produce on the planet, and we need to continue to support farmers and pollinators to ensure their survival.

New Menu: The theme Pollinators runs throughout our new seasonal menu of chocolates, cream puffs, and ice cream. The flavour combinations found in our Summer Collection combine the flowers and herbs that pollinators eat with the produce they help to create.

Where did this idea come from? One of our long-time and loyal customers encouraged us to educate our community about the threats to pollinators, and we happily took on the challenge through our seasonal menu, and seed sharing campaign.

Free FEED THE BEES Seeds! We are grateful to Urban Amazon Apiary for sponsoring a kilogram of bee-friendly wildflower seeds, sourced from a local company, West Coast Seeds. We have created over a thousand seed packets to give away to customers who come to our shop. Scatter these seeds in our industrial area, in a laneway, in your garden, or in a pot. Create a flower-filled landscape with us!

Terra Nova Farms. We educated our entire team about the role of pollinators in our ecosystem and food systems by visiting Terra Nova Farms (Richmond) and having a guided session by Urban Agriculture Consultant, Chef, Instructor, and Bee Keeper Ian Lai. We were mesmerized by the experience, and then we were able to watch the honey extraction process, where we could taste the fresh honey and see the detailed work of the honeycomb structure up-close. We are most grateful for this bee experience!

Hive Sponsor: BETA5 is sponsoring a Honey Bee Hive at Terra Nova Farms, and will receive honey from it later this summer. Producing honey is an extraordinary feat. Did you know that a worker bee will produce 1/12th of a teaspoon of honey in her lifetime? The collective accomplishment of bees to produce honey, to survive in a difficult environment with dwindling food sources, and to help pollinate a large portion of the food we eat, is truly remarkable.

All Pollinators: We can help all pollinators by saying no to pesticides, supporting local, organic farmers who grow diverse crops, and by growing flower-filled landscapes to provide food for the creatures whose hard work allows us to eat so very well. While Honey bees are not a native species, Mason Bees and Bumblebees are. Be sure to think about our native bee populations too, by growing flowers, hanging Mason Bee houses, etc. 

Our Summer 2015 Collection runs until September 30, 2015.