If you ever saw the Bee Movie you would know that without bees, all would be lost.  Alright, I'm being a little dramatic, but I'm not too far off.  Bees are accountable for 80% of all insect pollination, and without them, we would see a significant decrease in the yield of fruits and vegetables.  But what most people don't know is that bees have been on the decline for a few years now.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture shows a 29% drop in beehives in 2009, following a 36% decline in 2008 and 32% in 2007.  A little scary I'd say. 

Enter Pepper's Catering owner, John Lawrence - a man who loves a challenge, especially when it's related to food.  After overhearing a couple of his fellow ski patrol buddies talking about the success of their bee hives, John was fired up and ready to go.  He did a little research and met with some people at the Worcester County Beekeepers Association, which just happens to be the oldest county beekeeping association in the U.S.  During the spring he enrolled in their "bee school" to learn the ins and outs of bees and beekeeping.  Today, Pepper's Catering is the proud owner of about 10,000 bees.

Situated along the river bank and near the Pepper's garden, where we hope they spend a lot of their time, the bees are busy setting up house and tending to the queen.  Living on a temporary diet of sugar and water, John expects the hives to thrive to about 50,000 - 60,000 bees strong over the summer.  If all goes well, we should see some honey in September.  

John is a strong believer in the local sustainable food movement, so becoming beekeepers was a no- brainer for him.   Bees travel up to 5 miles looking for food, so local Worcester County farmers will enjoy the benefits of our bees too.  There are so many uses for honey and it can last a very long time if stored properly.  In addition to using the delicious honey that our bees produce, John also plans on making lip balm with the beeswax.  I wasn't kidding when I said he loves a challenge!

For more information on bees and beekeeping, visit the Worcester County Beekeepers Association at http://www.honeybeeclub.org/