I am partnering with Feed a Bee initiative to increase food for honey bees and other pollinators by planting more flowers and establishing additional forage acreage. Feed a Bee will help provide pollinators with the diverse forage and habitat they need to thrive, I am so excited to share all of this information with you all.

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In the United States, more than $15 billion dollars-worth of crops are pollinated by bees each year. Honey bees perform most of the insect pollination, with help from other pollinators like ants, bats, bees, beetles, birds, butterflies, flies, moths and wasps. This is direct data this is important to know and that is why I am so excited to partner with Feed a Bee initiative to increase food for honey bees and other pollinators by planting more flowers and establishing additional forage acreage.

Feed a Bee will help provide pollinators with the diverse forage and habitat they need to thrive.

How does pollination work?

Bees fly from blossom to plant gathering pollen and nectar for their food. When they land on flowers to collect pollen, some of the pollen sticks to bees’ hairy bodies and then brushes off onto another flower. This is shown in the example above of my basket of fresh picked apples and honey bees swarming the zinnia plants I have shown. While many plants are completely dependent on pollinators to produce fruits, vegetables and seeds, other plants can be pollinated by wind or water, or self-pollinated.

How do pollinators affect your diet?

Imagine that you and your loved one are about to enjoy a meal full of your favorite dishes. Feeling thankful, you may show your appreciation for the food on the table, the hands that prepared the meal and the great company around you. However, there are likely a few critters you’ve left off your list of thanks: pollinators!

Honey bees are responsible for much of the food supply around the world. From apples, to zucchini, to pumpkin, pollinators help to ensure there are plenty of our favorites to go around each season. To show our appreciation, we’ve compiled some top ways for you to show you care about pollinators.

Keeping Fresh Plants in Your Garden

Pick a plant! How about fresh oregano? Lavender? By choosing a local pollinator-attractant plant to keep in your yard, you can ensure there is a dependable food source for bees in your community. Just make sure you allow the plant to bloom! There are so many pollinator plants such as almonds, apples, asparagus, avocados, blueberries, carrots, cherries, eggplant, pumpkins, watermelons, tomatoes and strawberries just to name a few (and so many are my favorites to plant on our homestead). This will not only keep your pollinators with full stomachs but will keep your garden looking fresh and beautiful.

Not sure where to start? Find a few suggestions at FeedABee.

I have decided to show the whole precess with picking apples from our homestead that were pollinated with honeybees. Then I made an apple pie blondie recipe to show how we can all learn to love and appreciate the pollinators out in our gardens today!

Apple Pie Blondies

These Apple Pie Blondies Bars are a perfect fall dessert that mixes apple pie and brownies.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients

• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon sea salt

• 4 eggs

• 1 1/2 cup white sugar

• 1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

• 1 cup melted butter

• 3 teaspoons baking powder

• 3 cups all purpose flour (or gluten free flour)

• 4 apples diced in small cubes (any kind works)

• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)Instructions:

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F*.

Spray a 9 x 13 casserole dish with cooking spray of your choice.

In a bowl, mix together butter, brown sugar & white sugar.

Add eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, salt & baking powder, mix well.

Add flour and mix again. Batter will be thick at this point.

Add apples and walnuts (if desired) and mix well. Batter should begin to thin to more brownie like consistency.

Spread mixture evenly into prepared pan.

In a small dish, mix 1 Tablespoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. Sprinkle on top of apple mixture.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until brownie consistency then remove from oven. I took them out before there were hardening on the sides. I like my brownies to be softer.

Allow to cool unless you want to cut a piece to enjoy with ice cream. Enjoy Friends!

Please let me know if this has been helpful and if you make this recipe! I made it at the end of summer and it was the perfect treat. I know this will be a wonderful fall recipe to share with family and friends. Maybe even top a warm apple pie blondie with vanilla ice creaming and i know this will be a real hit for your dessert table! This recipe has been approved by my husband, Trevor. Also if you want to learn more about the wonderful Feed A Bee Initiative head to Feed A Bee. There is so much useful information on the website on how to get involved!

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