Bee Sanctuary

A few years ago, master bee keeper and advocate of the bees, Ron Breland, established part of his bee sanctuary on the farm. Having the bees living and working on the farm has been such a blessing.  Ron has been a wonderful mentor and the bees greatly contribute to the health and vitality of the garden.

The devastating decline of the honey bee population in recent decades prompts us to experiment with ways to strengthen and support the bees. There are so many contributing factors to their demise: loss of habitat, use of chemical pesticides and herbicides, infestations of mites, pollution, climate change, and commercial exploitation.  A study done by Cornell University in 2000 revealed that in the US alone, honey bees pollinate $14.6 billion worth of crops. The consequences of losing the bees would be devastating. Scientists have not been able to offer a solution and continue to be stumped by phenomena such as “colony collapse disorder”. We are speculating that if the honey bees have a chance for survival, it just may be the backyard bee keeper who helps them pull through.

For over thirty years, Ron has dedicated his life to finding ways to help save the honey bee. Following is a brief biography and some more detailed articles on the bees. If you would like to support the Bee Sanctuary, contact us.