Baton Rouge is buzzing with local honey and we are lucky enough to have one of the best beekeepers/ educators right in our backyard!
Kevin Langley, who keeps some of his bee hives on our property behind our store, has made it his mission to support other beekeepers and rescue bee colonies from homes and businesses across south Louisiana.
Kevin also serves as the President of the Capital Area Beekeepers Association and the Vice President of the state association. His work focuses on education and consulting with commercial beekeepers and scientist.
All across the country, beekeepers are reporting devastating losses in their bee colonies. Scientist have not figured out the exact cause but it could be detrimental to our food supply.
Pollinators are responsible for one-third of food in the U.S. Without bees, we could lose 130 types of fruits, nuts, & vegetables.
Kevin says our food security (to a degree) is dependent on migratory beekeeping, where 2.7 million bee colonies are transported to help pollinate crops across the country.
HOW CAN WE HELP THE BEES?
1. Plant a bee-friendly garden with wild flowers and plants with long blooming periods like Lavender and Marigolds. This provides the bees with a continuous food source into the fall.
2. Leave a small area of your yard untended. This allows flowering weeds to grow.
3. Leave out a shallow tray of water with pebbles. Bees need water to survive and regulate hive temperature.
