Monday 4 June 2018

Busy Bees On Both Sides Of The Fence

"What's this?" the curious little boy asked running up to the fence.

The signage gave a clue as did the buzzing and humming sounds.

Over the fence we saw bees hard at work pollinating and making honey in two colonies at the Ocean Park Orchard in Surrey. The insects were participating unwittingly in a project to increase their numbers. It is said that some species of bees are in danger of extinction due to insecticides, parasites, loss of habitat, climate change and more. You can learn about bee life and care HERE.

Looks like Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) in Surrey had a hand in this joint venture. The project is in its early stages as the City of Surrey expects to construct 10 new community bee gardens containing two colonies every year up to 100 colonies. All proceeds of honey sales will go to the local Food Bank.

Just a few yards away on the other side of the fence there was work of a different kind. The cob house is an ancient type of building new to the orchard.

The artistic re-purposing of mostly cedar made great bones for the unfinished structure and the twists and turns of the tree branches created a grand entrance.

I stepped in to get a feel of the house. Hmmm ... where would the couch go? It was quite roomy but the atmosphere was sure to change once all the walls were up. I didn't take my shoes off but took pictures of others at work. (Luckily, I could see clearly wearing my sunglasses after an earlier encounter with a ladybug.)

Bare feet needed to adjust to the squishy mucky mixture.

It definitely looked like fun boot-stomping in the clay, sand and hay to concoct a cement-like wall.

Feet weren't the only tools.

Pails came in handy ...

and wheel barrels as well.

Picks and shovels were on scene to show young and old what bees instinctively know ... keeping busy and being involved makes the world a better place ...

and when you give bees a chance, healthier happier plants will grow.


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This post is linked to signs, signs.

See more BC scenes at Penelope Puddlisms: BC Life Is A Whale Of A Ride.

Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms

12 comments:

  1. What a great experience. i love these sorts of gardens

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  2. The bee garden is a brilliant idea.

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  3. A very interesting post. I try to plant a small garden every year so the birds and the bees, sometimes the squirrels, have something to eat. I don't like it when the rats come around though :-(

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  4. Great photos and what a fun experience for everyone.

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  5. Hello, I am for anything that helps or protects the bees. They are very important. What a neat garden. Enjoy your day and week ahead!

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  6. Wow, PP, and wow again. Bees, please...years ago (I've probably told you this before) when I was young and employed as a reporter with a very small daily paper...I was sent out to interview a beekeeper. AND his bees. It was fascinating, once my initial trepidation subsided.
    And cob houses! I've never been able to talk any of my husbands into building a cob house. Made sense to me, but my enthusiasm remains unrequited. Must talk about it soon.
    Sigh, eh?
    Kay
    An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel

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  7. Such a fun and beautiful post with the story of the bees. Looks like it would feel good to go barefoot there in the garden! Taking pictures of bees is not easy, yours are really good!!

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  8. Need to take care around bees. My uncle kept about half a dozen hives and I was always getting stung as a kid. Bees are wonderful for pollinating plants and making honey.

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  9. How interesting and very neat. Our neighbors have bees and our flowers are happy
    MB

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  10. I'm always glad to see anything that will help the bees.
    It would be so interesting to be a part of the cob house house project.

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