Sustainable Success: Backed by Bees - A Honey Business Making a Buzz in 2023

Amidst the global challenges of 2023, there's a sweet success story buzzing in Burlington, Ontario, where Dave Stotesbury and Vincent Sowa have transformed their shared passion for bees into the thriving honey business - Backed By Bees.

As the world grapples with the challenges of 2023, there's a heartening tale of success and sustainability emerging from Burlington, Ontario - the story of Backed By Bees. What began as a chance meeting between Dave Stotesbury and Vincent Sowa at a beekeeping course has blossomed into a thriving honey business that goes beyond just producing sweet nectar.

Nestled on the picturesque Niagara Escarpment, with Mount Nemo providing a stunning backdrop, Backed By Bees has become a beacon of sustainable practices and environmental consciousness. Specializing in raw honey, honey soda, and honey-based sustainable alcohol, this honey business stands out not just for its delectable products but for the immersive experience it offers to visitors.

The founders, Sowa and Stotesbury, met over lunch and a shared interest in bees. United by their concern for the natural world and a commitment to making a positive impact, they established Backed By Bees. Sowa, a former Canadian Armed Forces member, wanted to inspire a connection with nature and protect pollinating honey bees that play a vital role in global food supply.

Stotesbury, an experienced beekeeper and vice president of the Ontario Beekeepers Association, tends to 700 hives scattered across the Halton region. Together, they not only produce honey but also contribute to environmental services by strategically placing hives in locations that significantly impact pollination on a community scale.

What sets Backed By Bees apart is not just its products but the commitment to environmental education. Visitors to the four-acre site can explore the tour yard, witness the pollination process in the pollinator garden, and interact with two million honey bees, fostering a deeper connection to nature.

The business's mead, an alcohol fermented 100% from honey, adds a historical touch to their offerings. Positioned as the only operating meadery in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Backed By Bees brings a unique flavor to the local community.

In addition to being a business success, Backed By Bees exemplifies environmental responsibility. The founders have repurposed shipping containers for their retail store and mead-making area, showcasing a commitment to minimizing their environmental footprint.

As we reflect on the challenges of the year, the story of Backed By Bees stands out as a testament to the positive impact businesses can have when driven by a passion for the environment. It's not just a honey business; it's a beacon of sustainability and a reminder that small actions can make a significant difference in building a more connected and environmentally conscious world.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What sets Backed By Bees apart from other honey businesses? A1: Backed By Bees is distinctive for its focus on raw honey, honey soda, and honey-based sustainable alcohol. The business offers a unique experience by inviting visitors to interact with two million honey bees on-site.

Q2: How has Backed By Bees contributed to environmental awareness? A2: The founders, Sowa and Stotesbury, aim to inspire people to connect with nature and protect pollinating honey bees. The business facilitates an immersive experience, allowing visitors to witness the pollination process and gain a deeper understanding of the vital role bees play in our food supply.

Q3: What is the significance of the name "Backed By Bees"? A3: The name reflects the business's commitment to environmental stewardship, highlighting that it is literally backed by the bees. The founders emphasize the importance of the connection between their business and the natural world.

Q4: How does Backed By Bees balance business and environmental responsibility? A4: The business minimizes its environmental footprint by repurposing shipping containers for its retail store and mead-making area. Additionally, they contribute to environmental services by placing hives in various locations, providing crucial pollination for community benefit.

Q5: What are some unique products offered by Backed By Bees? A5: Backed By Bees specializes in raw honey, honey soda, and honey-based sustainable alcohol, known as mead. They experiment with different flavors, and their meads are gluten-free, with no added sugar, starting with a base of fermented honey from their on-site hives.

#SustainableSuccess, #BackedByBees, #EnvironmentalStewardship, #HoneyBusiness, #ConnectingWithNature

이 블로그의 인기 게시물

Non-contact exposure to dinotefuran disrupts honey bee homing by altering MagR and Cry2 gene expression

Non-contact exposure to dinotefuran disrupts honey bee homing by altering MagR and Cry2 gene expression Dinotefuran is known to negatively affect honeybee ( Apis mellifera ) behavior, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. The magnetoreceptor ( MagR , which responds to magnetic fields) and cryptochrome ( Cry2 , which is sensitive to light) genes are considered to play important roles in honey bees’ homing and localization behaviors. Our study found that dinotefuran, even without direct contact, can act like a magnet, significantly altering MagR expression in honeybees. This non-contact exposure reduced the bees’ homing rate. In further experiments, we exposed foragers to light and magnetic fields, the MagR gene responded to magnetic fields only in the presence of light, with Cry 2 playing a key switching role in the magnetic field receptor mechanism ( MagR–Cry2 ). Yeast two-hybrid and BiFc assays confirmed an interactio...

“Global honey crisis”: Testing technology and local sourcing soars amid fraud and tampering concerns

“Global honey crisis”: Testing technology and local sourcing soars amid fraud and tampering concerns The World Beekeeping Awards will not grant a prize for honey next year due to the “inability” to thoroughly test honey for adulteration. The announcement comes amid the rise of honey fraud in the EU, where a 2023 investigation found that 46% of 147 honey samples tested were likely contaminated with low-cost plant syrups. Apimondia, the International Federation of Beekeepers’ Associations, organizes the event at its Congress, whose 49th edition will be held in Copenhagen, Denmark, in September 2025. The conference brings together beekeepers, scientists and other stakeholders. “We will celebrate honey in many ways at the Congress, but honey will no longer be a category, and thus, there will be no honey judging in the World Beekeeping Awards. The lessons learned from Canada 2019 and Chile 2023 were that adequate testing was impossible if we are to award winning honey at the Con...

Unveiling the Canopy's Secrets: New Bee Species Discovered in the Pacific

Unveiling the Canopy's Secrets: New Bee Species Discovered in the Pacific In an exciting development for environmentalists and beekeeping experts, researchers have discovered eight new species of masked bees in the Pacific Islands, shining a light on the rich biodiversity hidden within the forest canopy. This discovery underscores the critical role bees play in our ecosystems and the pressing need for conservation efforts to protect these vital pollinators. A New Frontier in Bee Research By exploring the forest canopy, scientists have opened a new frontier in bee research, revealing species that have adapted to life high above the ground. These discoveries are crucial for understanding the complex relationships between bees, flora, and the broader ecosystem. The new species of masked bees, characterized by their striking black bodies with yellow or white highlights, particularly on their faces, rely exclusively on the forest canopy for survival. The Importance of Bee Conservation...

New Report – Interlocked: Midwives and the Climate Crisis

New Report – Interlocked: Midwives and the Climate Crisis Earlier this year, midwives from 41 countries shared their experiences of working in communities affected by climate change through our survey, Midwives’ Experiences and Perspectives on Climate Change. Their voices shaped our new report, Interlocked: Midwives and the Climate Crisis , which highlights how midwives are already responding to the health impacts of climate disasters like floods, wildfires, and extreme heat—and why they must be included in climate action plans. What did we learn?Climate change is damaging community health: 75% of midwives reported that climate change is harming the communities they serve, with rising rates of preterm births, food insecurity, and restricted access to care during disasters like floods. Midwives are critical first responders: Midwives are often the first and only healthcare providers on the ground in crises, delivering care during wildfires, floods, and extreme heat. Midwives face signi...

Bee attack claims life of newspaper distributor

Bee attack claims life of newspaper distributor Newspaper distributor Pushparaja Shetty (45), who sustained severe injuries in a bee attack, succumbed to his injuries on Thursday at a hospital in Mangaluru. Pushparaja was attacked by a swarm of bees on Wednesday morning while walking at Kenjaru Taangadi under Bajpe town panchayat limits. He was immediately admitted to a hospital for treatment but could not survive the ordeal. Fondly known as ‘Boggu’ in the Porkodi area, Pushparaja was well-known for his dedication to delivering newspapers on foot to every household. He was admired for his generosity, as he often distributed sweets to schoolchildren on Independence Day using his own earnings and contributed part of his income to the betterment of society. Pushparaja was unmarried and is survived by three brothers and one sister.

Start the New Year Humming Like a Bee

Start the New Year Humming Like a Bee There are lots of opportunities to be as busy as a bee during these winter holidays. As we hustle toward the dawn of the New Year, it can be hard to notice that the natural world is actually suggesting something different for us right now. We’re past the solstice, but the winter still stretches ahead, the days are still short and the nights long. We’re being invited into a quieter, more inner-focused time. The ancient yogis were all about this inner focus. In India, for example, the Upanishads, the Sanskrit writings that accompanied the development of Hinduism — and alongside it, yoga — beginning around 800 B.C.E., went deeper than earlier texts had into philosophy and questions of being. With the goals of increased inner awareness and higher consciousness, yoga was at that time not yet as focused on the body or on asanas, as it now can tend to be. But the yogis did develop many practices to try to open the way to those goals. They discovered...

The largest “killer hornets” in the world were exterminated in the US

The largest “killer hornets” in the world were exterminated in the US The US informed that it had exterminated the worldʼs largest hornets, nicknamed "killer hornets" — they are capable of occupying a hive of honey bees in just 90 minutes, decapitating all its inhabitants and feeding their offspring to their own. This was reported by the Department of Agriculture in Washington. The hornets, which can reach five centimeters in length, were previously called Asian giant hornets, but in 2019 they were also spotted in Washington state near the Canadian border. In China, these insects killed 42 people and seriously injured 1,675. A dead northern giant hornet (below) next to a native bald hornet. According to experts, the hornets could have entered North America in plant pots or shipping containers. The hornet can sting through most beekeeper suits because it produces nearly seven times more venom than a honeybee and stings multiple times. Thatʼs why the Washington Departme...

From Classroom to Hive: Jeff Tech students experience sweet journey of honey making

From Classroom to Hive: Jeff Tech students experience sweet journey of honey making The Courier Express has partnered with digital media arts students at Jeff Tech to highlight accomplishments and updates from the school. q q q REYNOLDSVILLE — The new “Intro to Agriculture” class, taught by advanced manufacturing instructor Perry Neal, has recently been buzzing throughout the halls of Jeff Tech. The course has been receiving positive feedback from both students and teachers. “It’s a great class. I love it,” said Jeff Tech student Jacob DeFoor. Student Kyle Lasher said, “I’m really considering getting bees of my own.” Intro to Agriculture is an 18-week course that starts with students learning anything and everything bees. They gather together to learn the process and safety procedures of making honey from scratch with locally-sourced honey bees. In class, students research pollination, foods that contain honey, where to purchase hive equipment, types of bees, etc., according to N...

The Unexpected Surge: America's Honeybees Buzz Back to Record Numbers

The Unexpected Surge: America's Honeybees Buzz Back to Record Numbers In an age where environmental narratives often lean towards loss and decline, the story of the American honeybee offers a glimmer of hope and a puzzle to solve. Recent data from the Census of Agriculture reveals an astonishing rebound in the honeybee population, now soaring to an all-time high of 3.8 million colonies. This revelation comes as a surprise against the backdrop of two decades marked by fears of colony collapse and the potential ramifications for ecosystems and agriculture. The surge in bee populations brings to light a series of questions and insights into the intertwined worlds of agriculture, conservation, and legislation. Central to this narrative is the state of Texas, where legislative changes have catalyzed a beekeeping boom by offering agricultural tax breaks to landowners cultivating honeybees. This policy shift, coupled with the entrepreneurial spirit of Texans and the essential role of bees...

Researchers use advanced robotics to study honeybee behaviour

Researchers use advanced robotics to study honeybee behaviour Researchers from our top-rated Computer Science department have made significant advances in understanding honeybee behaviour through the use of innovative robotic technology. The study, published in the cover page of prestigious journal - Science Robotics, offers unprecedented insights into the daily activities of honeybee colonies, particularly focusing on the queen bee and her interactions with worker bees. Robotic system provides continuous monitoring The research team, led by Professor Farshad Arvin, developed a sophisticated robotic system capable of continuous, long-term observation of bee hives. This system employs two high-resolution cameras that work autonomously, tracking the queen bee's movements and mapping the contents of the honeycomb. This technology allows the researchers to collect data on bee behaviour 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Researchers say this level of continuous monitoring was previous...

Small actions make a big difference engilsh dkbee.com

이 블로그 검색