THUNDER BAY - Spring is just around the corner and that means it’s time to start thinking about planting a vegetable or flower garden. However, the little helpers that allow our gardens to flourish are disappearing, so it’s also time to start thinking about what we can do to help.
“It’s very important that beekeepers and people understand this and spread the word and get bee colonies all over the place in order to have different breeds of bees, because that’s important for all of the colonies to survive,” said Gerry Berezowski, co-president of the Thunder Bay Beekeeper's Association.
“Bees are an important part of our ecosystem. Besides honey, they cross-pollinate flowers and the food that you eat.”
The Thunder Bay Beekeeper's Association was just one of many exhibitors offering ideas and products to prepare for the spring and summer season at the annual Home and Garden Show this weekend.
Thousands of people came out during the three-day show to take in everything from outdoor equipment, boats, gardening, grilling, to home improvement from the more than 150 exhibitors.
“A lot of excitement here,” said Peter Mersch, co-chair of the Home and Garden Show. “There are a lot of new exhibitors and a lot of old exhibitors with new products.”
“We have a lot more outside exhibitors,” Mersch added. “We have a waiting list so we could have a larger show next year with expansion outside. There are always a lot of people here.”
And while the show offers ideas on how to improve your home or garden, or just get out and enjoy the warmer weather, Berezowski is hopeful more people will take up the hobby of beekeeping, because it is something that benefits everyone’s home and garden.
“They do exist in town,” he said. “There are areas with hives that go out and pollinate your gardens. And a lot of people don’t realize that there are huge colonies that transport their hives across Canada and they are hired to put them out to cross-pollinate certain fields.”
Bees have been declining in numbers in recent years due to pesticide use on food crops.
Starting your own hive or colony is not necessarily an easy job and just like keeping a flourishing garden, bees do require tending.
“There is quite a job to it,” Berezowski said. “You don’t just necessarily have a bee colony out there and just let it go. A lot of people may feed them during the summer or fall in order for them to get more honey into their frames in order for the to survive the winter. They eat the honey from the hive during the winter to survive.”
For more information on beekeeping, visit the Thunder Bay Beekeeper's Association website.
