We had a chance to ask Amber Yano of MOB Honey some questions. Here's what she had to say!
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There are 4 fundamental concepts that make up my identity:
1. Nurture
I'm a bee momma. There's no other way to describe my practice. Each entry into a hive is thoughtful and can often take a unique direction depending on their activity. In order to acquire a surplus of honey you must first acquire a substantial and sustainable amount of bees. To gain a bounty of bees, one must be patient and mindful of their actions – understanding that each hive’s "personality" is idiosyncratic. Honey bees are fully capable in sustaining themselves in the natural environment but as a keeper of bees, it is my responsibility to keep them healthy.
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2. Home and hive
My home is my hive and a hub for play, work, art, relaxation, order, and disorder. My efforts to tidy up the house at times feel doomed to chaos and dirty dishes. The energy put into the constant restoration makes me feel a sense of belonging and safety. I activate environments within the home that discourage entropy and encourage comfort and creativity. I wish I had a garden to do the same, thank goodness for the YYC Grower farmers! A honeybee hive is constantly constructing, reconstructing, restoring, communicating, defending, controlling temperature, homeostasis, and seasonally fluctuating their population like a lung breathing in and out. Their colony construction is methodical and they are much more perfect than I. At least we have one thing in common - we both nest.
3. E.O. Wilson
Oh Ed, how you have enlightened me along this journey into the world of little things. I find Wilson's work fascinating! He discovered a chemical that coats deceased ants called "oleic acid." I used to ask myself this question: do ants have graveyards? No, they don't, but they do have compost piles (dumps) where they discard their dead. And Wilson's discovery offers the answer: when an ant smells another ant covered in oleic acid, dead or alive, she will be tossed without hesitation. The duty of the necrophoresis worker ant is to throw the dead soldiers into the refuse pile. I think it's so cool that ants and bees communicate through pheromones, smelling, tasting, vibrating and dancing instead of words. My love and fascination with these little creatures is evergrowing.
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4. Passions
When people say, Save the Bees, what we mean is Save the Earth! I believe creating a biodiverse landscape not only helps the pollinators and farmers but the entirety of the planet. Our farmer cooperative, YYC Growers is an incubator for success. We farmers maintain a hive mentality of working together to create a sustainable ecosystem. I believe the reversal of climate change starts within the individual to make the choice of where to shop. Why not start with the YYC Growers Harvest Box and help Save the Earth!
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