There are so many shows and blogs about food how much we love it, celebrate it, seek it, share it however how many of us try to save it?
Imagine the role Materchef could play in preserving our planet with all that viewing exposure. Sadly money talks and in the speed for sponsorship television is reluctant to invest the time to challenge sponsors to produce ethically and responsibly paying the farmer the true price for their food and buying locally. The future of our food is at risk and with it the traditional skills and culture integral to it.
We are encouraged to shop at Farmers’ Markets and buy local but this is just the top soil so to speak and the issues run deep.We need to ensure we have farmers and we are losing them because of the prices paid to them and the threat of cheap imports and the difficulties of drought and the other impacts of climate change.
You can help with every mouthful - changing out purchasing behaviour, learning how to substitute imported for local ingredients in receipes,when it makes sense to, demand GM free save food and challenge the amount of packaging used. Take time to learn about how your food was produced, discover the true price for food, how much it costs the health of the planet to produce it. Grow when you can and share when you have too much. I switch off to the elections collectively people can create change with more power than any party and safeguard their future.
Today I want to create a buzz about bees. We all love honey it is hard not to sweet and sensory it is nectar for our souls. Our bees are at risk.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXpnrV1IzTY Learn more…
We are losing species of food on the planet which are having huge consequences for the future of the food. Often referred to as ‘flying fertilizer’, bees are an essential part of our farmed and wild food and flora ecosystem, pollinating a third of what we eat, from apples and raspberries to barley and beans. A decline in diverse plants species on which to feed may be causing a similar decline in bee survival.
Researchers found that bees consuming a diverse number of plants produce more effective glucose oxidase (GOX) than bees which eat from a monoculture. Glucose oxidase is essential for bees to preserve food for their larvae, keeping the hive healthy. In addition, bees fed a diverse diet also produced more fat, which in bees produce anti-microbial chemicals to help resist disease.
Bees, vital pollinators and producers of honey, have been suffering mysterious declines around the world. Climate change effects the biodiversity of the planet – reduction in plants and therefore flowers etc.
Inspiring news San Francisco hotel has bees local becomes on your doorstep! http://blogs.nationalgeographic.com/blogs/news/chiefeditor/2010/06/bees-check-in-to-hotel.html
10 ways to save the bees!!!!!
1. Become a beekeeper
Beekeeping is a most enjoyable, fascinating and interesting hobby – and you get to eat your own honey too. Every year local beekeeping associations run courses to help new people to take up beekeeping and even help them find the equipment they need and a colony of bees. Training programmes continue to allow enthusiasts to become Master Beekeepers. For information on courses visit the (http://www.beekeepers.org.au/becoming_a_beekeeper.html
2. Help to protect swarms
Swarming is a natural process when colonies of honeybees can increase their numbers. If you see a swarm contact the local authority or the police who will contact a local beekeeper who will collect the swarm and take it away. Honeybees in a swarm are usually very gentle and present very little danger. They can be made aggressive if disturbed or sprayed with water. Just leave them alone and wait for a competent beekeeper to arrive.
3. Plant your garden with bee friendly plants
In areas of the country where there are few agricultural crops, honeybees rely upon garden flowers to ensure they have a diverse diet and to provide nectar and pollen. Encourage honeybees to visit your garden by planting single flowering plants and vegetables. Go for all the allium family, all the mints, all beans except French beans and flowering herbs. Bees like daisy-shaped flowers – asters and sunflowers, also tall plants like hollyhocks, larkspur and foxgloves. Bees need a lot of pollen and trees are a good source of food. http://www.aussiebee.com.au/gwreview.html
Local honey will be prepared by local beekeepers. This keeps food miles down and helps the beekeeper to cover the costs of beekeeping. Local honey complies with all food standards requirements but is not mistreated to give it a long shelf life. It tastes quite different to foreign supermarket honey and has a flavour that reflects local flora.
5. Ask your MP to improve research into honey bee health
Beekeepers are very worried that we do not have enough information to combat the diseases that affect honeybees. Pollination by honeybees contributes millions annually to the agricultural economy. Yet the government only spends a fraction annually on honeybee research.
6. Find space for a beehive in your garden
Many would-be beekeepers, especially in urban areas, find it difficult to find a safe space for their colony of bees. If you have some space contact your local beekeeping association and they could find a beekeeper in need of a site. It is amazing what a difference a beehive will make to your garden. Crops of peas and beans will be better, fruit trees will crop well with fruit that is not deformed and your garden will be buzzing!
7. Remove jars of foreign honey from outside the back door
Believe it or not but honey brought in from overseas contains bacteria and spores that are very harmful to honeybees. If you leave a honey jar outside it encourages honeybees to feed on the remaining honey. There is a good possibility that this will infect the bee and in turn the bee will infect the rest of the colony resulting in death of the colony. Always wash out honey jars and dispose of them carefully.
8. Encourage local authorities to use bee friendly plants in public spaces
Some of the country’s best gardens and open spaces are managed by local authorities. Recently these authorities have recognised the value of planning gardens, roundabouts and other areas with flowers that attract bees. Encourage your authority to improve the area you live in by adventurous planting schemes. These can often be maintained by local residents if the authority feels they do not have sufficient resources.
9. Learn more about this fascinating insect
Beekeeping is fascinating. Honeybees have been on this earth for about 25 million years and are ideally adapted to their natural environment. Without honeybees the environment would be dramatically diminished. Invite a beekeeper to come and talk to any local group you support and give an illustrated talk about the honeybee and the products of the hive. They might bring a few jars of honey too Honeybees are a part of our folklore and are one of only two insect species that are managed to provide us with essential services.
10. Bee friendly
When kept properly, bees are good neighbours, and only sting when provoked. Beekeepers wear protective clothing when they are handling bees. If a bee hovers inquiringly in front of you when unprotected, do not flap your hands. Stay calm and move slowly away, best into the shade of shed or a tree. The bee will soon lose interest. It is worth remembering that bees do not like the smell of alcohol on people, the “animal” smell of leather clothing, even watchstraps. Bees regard dark clothing as a threat – it could be a bear! Bees are sometimes confused by scented soaps, shampoos and perfumes, best avoided near the hive
My receipes will be in the next edition of Sprout, “Spring” where you will discover more about honey. Get a copy of Sprout http://www.sproutmagazine.com.au/ at your Farmers Market recipes by Alison Drover with Tim Malfroy http://www.malfroysgold.com.au/ Malfroy’s Gold.
Buzzing out but will be back soon Alison
