Looking back at the decades of allotment working, a particular incident sticks in my mind involving bees!
An allotment shed generally ends up being the home of many an insect or spider, so I wasn’t particularly moved when a worker bee landed on my head close by.
Instinctively, I brushed it off with my hand not realising that moments later I would be surrounded by a whole swarm of bees! Naturally, I made a run for the shed, where I spent at least an hour waiting for the gathering bees to disperse. Did anyone notice this spectacle, I wondered, as it wasn’t long before a friend shared his knowledge about bees.
Did you know that when a bee is attacked, it sends out a warning scent so that the remainder of the bees can come to its aid? Well, it certainly made me think twice about taking a swipe at a bee again. Full of bee knowledge, my friend further told me that when the population of a beehive gets too crowded, a new queen bee emerges after the old one has slimmed down and flown off with half the hive, or more, to find another abode.
And what do you know, not long after, I was to witness this very thing! It was fascinating to see what looked like a small dark cloud lift up into the sky, as half a colony of bees went on the move!
Now in the Bible, we read of the Promised Land flowing with milk and honey. Perhaps you have not considered this, but where you have honey, you must have bees. Where you have bees, you also have flowers with nectar. The fruits often follow the flowers if pollinated, and bees are just some of the many pollinating insects which contribute immensely to our environment and life on earth. Sadly, year after year, we hear how they are being decimated for a variety of reasons such as pesticides and parasites.
As many a gardener will tell you, don’t forget them! Try to grow bee-friendly flowers like lavender, marigolds, and sunflowers, if you are able. They also need water, so why not arrange a bowl of water with stones in it for them to land on. Read up about these furry buzzing creatures and friends!
Back on the allotment, I am marvelled at the good cabbage year I’ve had. It’s allowed me to practice a tip from my Dad, many years ago. Namely, when harvesting a cabbage, I make a cross-shaped cut on the stump that is left, and four small cabbages grow out of it – check out the photo!
Watching and praying to the God who sends and has sent some much-needed rain (Matthew 5:45).
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