Pollinator Day visitors learned about managed bees (honey bees), native bees, and other pollinators important to our local food supply and ecosystems.

Chatham beekeeper Christina Teague brought her observation hive, also known as the "Bee TV". Christina also brought various products from the hive, including varietal honeys, comb honey (my favorite!), balms, and lotions. Beekeeper Jim Williams displayed his award-winning mead, made from honey. Next year we are planning a mead tasting!

Visitors were challenged to find the queen in the observation hive, one of the questions on the scavenger hunt.

Artist Ann Silverman taught folks how to make paper from spent flowers in the pollinator garden. This was a very popular activity!

It is wonderful and heartwarming to see so much interest in bees and beekeeping from folks of all ages!

The kids' area of the tent was buzzing all day with busy worker bees!

Chatham beekeeper Ashleigh Nelson (seated in hat) brought the bee vacuum she adapted that she uses to remove bees from undesirable locations. Ashleigh just completed the 8-week beekeeping school that Cooperative Extension and the Chatham Beekeepers conducted in early 2009 and is already managing her own hives!

Colleen did a great job with the kids all day.

Judy made sure everyone enjoyed sampling the different varieties of honey!

These bee signs were placed on items inside Chatham Marketplace that depend on bees and other pollinators. This display shows some of the oils. The signs were placed on everything from produce to cut flowers to chips, herbs, fruit juices, meat and dairy, etc. For more information, view the pollinator brochure.

Participants were also encouraged to enjoy a pollinator-friendly local lunch at Chatham Marketplace during the program (did you know that worldwide, approximately 1,000 plants grown for food, beverages, spices, fiber, and medicine require pollination by animals?).

 

See photos from our 2008 Pollinator Week celebration.

See photos from our 2007 Pollinator Week celebration.