The aim of any bee farm, also known as an apiary, is to keep colonies as healthy as possible. Both wild and farmed bees are susceptible to disease and parasites as well as loss of pollen and nectar foraging grounds. A beekeeper’s job is to ensure that each colony is disease-free and has enough space to grow, preventing swarming and keeping the population inside each hive thriving.

We raise some of our own queens, so we can requeen hives when necessary to prevent disease and strengthen the colonies with healthy worker bees. We’ve chosen breeds of bees that are especially suited to Northern Albertan winters and we employ world-class pest and disease control protocols. The fertile foothills where our farm is situated provide our bees with plenty of pollen and nectar from both the countryside and local farmlands.

One of the reasons beekeeping has been such a sustainable practice is that taking honey from a hive doesn’t harm the bees. Bees are, quite literally, always busy. They will continue to collect pollen and nectar to produce honey throughout the spring and summer, which means there is a surplus of honey that’s safe to take. Before the winter we ensure the colony has enough feed to keep going until spring comes. We want our colonies to be as strong and healthy as possible, so it’s in our best interest as beekeepers to make sure that our bees have enough honey to sustain them.

Pollinators like bees are keystone species in every ecosystem, making sure essential plants can reproduce to shelter and nourish the animals that rely on them. With more plants comes better soil health. Denser root systems prevent soil erosion, protecting land from the destructive effects of flooding. Greater plant biodiversity supports the expansion of our wild animal populations, leading to a flourishing natural environment that can grow sustainably into the future.

We’re proud to have our hives on farms throughout the agricultural community here in Barrhead, Alberta. Our bees pollinate vital crops across the county. Regular pollination helps the farms in our area produce healthier crops with better yields and increases their resilience to challenges like inclement weather and drought. With a local apiary, our farmers don’t have to rely as heavily on bees being shipped in to pollinate their crops, reducing emissions, preventing the spread of bee diseases, and supporting sustainable farming practices.

When our bees are needed to pollinate blueberry fields and other fruit crops in B.C., we employ the utmost care to ensure that our bees are free from disease, preserving the health of the local bee population. We also work to keep the colonies safe and undisrupted throughout the transport process.