When we think of health heroes, we think of doctors, nurses and researchers, wearing white lab coats and brandishing metal instruments. But did you know there’s another group in white suits brandishing metal instruments who also plays a pivotal role in our health? It’s beekeepers.
Beekeepers manage and care for honey bee colonies in hives to ensure their health and productivity. Their business typically includes a mix of honey sales, pollination services, and other side work such as teaching classes and workshops and selling hive products such as pollen and royal jelly supplements.
The work of a beekeeper has profound and far-reaching implications for our health, nutrition, and the environment. Here are six reasons to thank a beekeeper for their invaluable contribution to our world.
- Nutritious fruits and veggies: Bees pollinate over 100 vital crops, from antioxidant-rich blueberries to fiber-filled broccoli. By facilitating pollination, beekeepers help put these delicious, nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables on your plate.
- Bountiful harvests: Managed honey bee hives drastically increase yields on farms and orchards by thoroughly pollinating plants. Bigger harvests mean more affordable, accessible produce at your neighborhood grocery store.
- Biodiversity: Our planet thrives on diversity. Nearly all wild plants, which form the backbone of many ecosystems, require animal pollination to reproduce. Beekeepers and their hives, support the pollination of a wide variety of wild plants and crops, ensuring the sustenance of diverse habitats.
- Beneficial bee products: Beyond pollination, bees gift us with a range of products. Hard-working beekeepers harvest vitamin-rich honey and pollen, and natural beeswax for cosmetics like lip balms. These ingredients provide a healthier, more organic alternative to the corn-based sweeteners and petrochemicals prevalent in many commercial products.
- Soil health: Bees pollinate cover crops, like clover and alfalfa, that prevent erosion and enrich soil between harvests. Better soil grows more nutrient-dense foods, which directly benefit our health.
- Natural medicine: Honey has been used for centuries as a natural remedy for wounds, coughs, and infections due to its antibacterial properties. Beekeepers cultivate and harvest honey to ensure that this natural medicine is available to all.
The next time you drizzle honey over your morning toast, bite into a crisp apple, or walk among wildflowers, take a moment to appreciate beekeepers. Their dedication, passion, and hard labor ensure that we have fresh food on our tables, a balanced ecosystem, and a planet that continues to buzz with life.
