The Chef’s Garden Commitment to Bee Sustainable™
The Chef’s Garden is a family farm in Huron, Ohio that specializes in the finest heirloom and specialty vegetables, microgreens, micro and full-size herbs, and edible flowers. We have been devoted to sustainable agricultural practices for nearly 30 years. Being farmers, we are keenly aware of the important role that bees play in agriculture, and we are concerned about the future of the honeybee population. As part of The Chef’s Garden’s commitment to Growing a Sustainable Future™, we’re applying our knowledge in sustainable farming to a revitalization project that provides bees with a consistent source of healthy nectar to combat Colony Collapse Disorder. We call our project Bee Sustainable.
No one theory as to why bee populations are declining at a rapid rate has been confirmed, but The Chef’s Garden believes that nutrition plays a major role. Our sustainable approach to farming focuses on maintaining a nutritionally balanced soil without the need for chemical additives, and nutrient-rich soil ensures that plants have everything they need to grow.
It also ensures that every edible crop we hand-harvest at The Chef’s Garden is full of flavor and high-quality nutrition, which benefits the individual who consumes it. By providing a plentiful, diverse and long-lasting source of food nearby, Bee Sustainable offers the same benefits to bees. And the effort is undoubtedly worth it.
According Dr. James Tew, Director of The Ohio State University’s Bee Lab, “We really can’t imagine life without bees. You would still see green, but anything with a flower, those plants would ultimately be seriously damaged if we didn’t have these creatures for cross-pollinating.”
Consider the effect on our own well-being. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) cites one in three bites of food as directly related to the pollination work of the honeybees. The USDA also estimates that bees’ contribution to the agricultural industry is worth $15 billion*. If that’s not enough reason to act, we don’t know what is.
We Bee Sustainable Because:
- A decline in the honeybee population negatively affects agriculture and, in turn, a significant source of nutritious food for humans.
- The initiative transfers our expertise in sustainable agriculture to another arena.
Acknowledgements
The Chef’s Garden’s Bee Sustainable initiative is guided by the expertise and support of Dr. James Tew from The Ohio State University Bee Lab.
Our beehives are provided by Honey Bee Treasure, LLC, owned by Valerie and Wayne Weiss, respected beekeepers in Northern Ohio.