Bee Hives and Honey Harvesting
At Gachina Landscape Management, we believe in a sustainable landscaping, organic practices, beneficial insects and the sweetness of natural HONEY!!
In the Spring of 2016, coached by Wade Loo (former Chair at JobTrain Board member), we joined San Mateo Beekeepers’ Guild to widen our knowledge on bees and the production of honey. Thanks to the generosity of Ray Wolfgramm, (owner of NorCal Honeybee Rescue), we were able to install a local rescued hive in our Farm, in June 2016.
Since then, we have learned about the queen bee, her eggs and the hundred of workers that swarm out of the hive every day to bring back precious pollen. We have observed the flying class that takes place every day around 12:30pm for the newbies. We cheered the bees when they were defending the hive from ants, wasps and other predators. We have learned how to safely harvest the honey and reap the rewards.
Honeybees are one of many pollinators: birds, flies, wasps, beetles, bats and other small mammals provide the same fundamental service. Pollinators biggest champions are bees, including over a thousand species of California native bees and bumblebees that do not produce honey but are still visiting flowers and transporting nectar as they move from spot to spot. They usually live in crevices in the ground or wood.
Pollinators are an indispensable natural resource in agriculture and healthy ecosystems. Over 80% of all flowering plants needs help with pollination and pollinators. One bite of food out of three is there thanks to pollinators. By supporting healthy ecosystems, pollinators allow us to breathe cleaner air, protect from extreme weather and provide habitat for wildlife. Farmers and beekeepers are on the front line in playing a critical role for their survival. Now, The Gachina Farm has both a natural rescued hive and a man-made hive. We have installed several bamboo bee houses for California bees and bumble bees. Our bees are happy bees since we offer them fresh water and forage throughout the year. Part of our crops pass their harvest peak and bloom, such as Broccoli, Arugula, Borage, Artichokes, and more. Wildflowers grow freely along the creek. Fruit trees and berries produce an incredible
amount of flowers and fruit that we share with birds and little mammals, such as possums and raccoons. To protect the health and stamina of our pollinators and wildlife, pesticides and synthetic fertilizers are not used at the Farm. This sustainable approach allowed the property to receive the Certified Wildlife Habitat Certification by the National Wildlife Federation a few years ago.
In the end, we enjoyed sharing the honey with the management team at Gachina and some of our clients! The future is brighter, and much sweeter, because this year we will have two bee hives.
Click here for images of the evolution of our bee hives at The Farm.
For more information, contact our Sustainable Landscape Manager Cristina Prevarin at cprevarin@gachina.com or 650.924.3032.
