VITALIA Active Adult Community – Montrose Recognizes the Importance Bees Play on Our Ecosystem

Don’t step on a Bee! Sounds like sane advice, but did you know it’s also a day of recognizing the incredible impact that bees play on our ecosystem? There are roughly 4,000 bee species in North America and about 20,000 around the globe that pollinate everything from flowers to vegetables. In fact, bees pollinate approximately one in every three bites of food you eat, which makes them essential to the health and prosperity of countless ecosystems worldwide. Crops such as apples, cranberries, and broccoli all rely on bees. Fruits like blueberries and cherries are 90% dependent on honeybee pollination, as are almonds. To pollinate the roughly 1.2 million acres of almond trees, the California almond industry needs about 1.8 million bees.

However, one in four species of bees are facing extinction. From fungus to pesticides, bees are facing rapidly declining numbers. In the US, the honeybee population has declined 60% since 1947.

This year, Vitalia Active Adult Community – Montrose is celebrating “Don’t Step On A Bee Day” by utilizing locally sourced honey, honeycomb, creamed honey, bee pollen, infused honey, mead (honey wine), and churned honey. I sourced these products from Jacobs Heritage Farm, Keller Meats, Oliver Winery, Stein’s Honey, Brighton Wool & Honey Co., and Garnes Apiary.

The dishes I’ll be making are grilled honey and blue cheese topped peaches; arugula salad with Manchego, apple, chive, and creamed honey popcorn granola; and garlic and jalapeño infused honey mustard glazed grilled pork chop topped with honey lemon gremolata.

I get very excited about all our special culinary events; however, this one has me to the point of giddiness with excitement. I have a close friend with her own apiary. I have had the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of the hives. Not everyone knows how crucial honeybees are to our ecosystem. Honeybees are the most important element to ensure all fruit and vegetable crops flower and bear fruit. This comes full circle for me because of the industry I work in and the things I am passionate about. One of the most exciting things I have been able to do was help maintain hives and learn about bees. It’s simple, without our help the bees will disappear, and we will be in a crisis to find a way to make our food possible. So, please join me in celebrating the mighty honeybee. I promise you will see what all the buzz is about!