A
Honey
of a
Harvest
BY BERNADETTE WILSON
H
He explains that a beekeeper’s honey bees
oney production is essential for
play a significant role in pollination, even in
food production. While honey
The Honey Harvest
Millcreek Township where there isn’t much
bees are collecting nectar to make
at Asbury Woods is an
major agriculture. Wild bee colonies only have
honey, they’re also transferring pollen
a few hundred bees—and they are declining in
from one part of a blossom to another,
opportunity for people
number—so their contribution to pollination
which is necessary for many types of plants
of all ages to learn about
is minimal. Hives kept by beekeepers, on
to produce fruits or vegetables. According
the other hand, can contain about 30,000
to the National Honey Board, about one-
the role honey bees play
bees by mid-summer. “Beekeepers are
third of the food in our diet grows because
in the food chain and
helping hundreds of local residents with their
insects pollinate plants, and honey bees do
backyard gardens,” he says.
about 80 percent of that work.
how nectar becomes the
Each year, Asbury Woods in Millcreek
honey we enjoy.
BEFORE THE HARVEST
Township celebrates the honey bee at
When Schroeck began volunteering
its Honey Harvest, sharing information
at Asbury Woods, a honey extracting
about the pivotal role these bees play in
demonstration was a part of Autumn Fest. And after the grand
pollination and the work they do to produce the honey we use to
reopening of the renovated nature center in 2005, Asbury
sweeten our tea, pancakes, and other foods and drinks.
Woods included a similar demonstration as a part of its Saturday
educational programming for several years. “The event was so
THE GROWING BUZZ
popular that then-Director Brian Winslow thought it might be a
ABOUT BEES
good idea to make it a full-day event,” he says. The Northwest PA
Charles Schroeck, a beekeeping hobbyist for 39 years, has
Beekeepers Association, of which Schroeck is a member, assisted in
been Asbury Woods’ volunteer beekeeper since 2000. He notes
presenting the Honey Harvest with the addition of honey tasting,
that interest in beekeeping grew in 2006, when the news reached
honey sales and beekeeping exhibits.
the public that major bee losses occurred due to diseases and
insecticide use.
WHAT YOU CAN LEARN AT
“Many individuals wanted to help by becoming
HONEY HARVEST 2019
beekeepers,” says Schroeck. “I’ve been teaching four-part
Carissa Snarski, Director of Development and Marketing for
beginner’s beekeeping class for 17 years. The first few years we
Asbury Woods, says the Honey Harvest has something for people of
had about a dozen people take the class. Since 2006 we’ve sold
all ages.
out every year.”
32
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