Wildflowers play a vital role in helping honeybees at Sandilands Apiary.

Hendrik Feenstra says he has noticed that the dry conditions this summer have a greater impact on farmed crops like canola and less impact on the wildflowers. This allows for his bees to find a lot of quality pollen.

“I don’t rely on canola like so many of the other beekeepers do,” says Feenstra. “So, for me, it’s not so bad. I put my bees out by a lot of wildflower areas and the like. That really helps me because the wildflowers will grow most of the time, no matter what.”

It also allows his bees to avoid flowers that have been treated with pesticides. He finds that to be his biggest challenge.

“My bees only find pesticides toward the ends of their foraging flights so that means, in general, they have very little access to pesticides.”

Feenstra tries to place his bees in areas with minimal pesticide use.

This is the first full year for Feenstra and his wife, Kelsey, as apiarists.

Feenstra says it’s a good fit because he enjoys nature and helping bees maintain their role in our eco-system.

“If we didn’t have bees, I'm very sorry to say we wouldn’t have a large majority of the foods that we have; a large majority of the foods that we are accustomed to.”

Feenstra brings their honey products to farmer’s markets in Steinbach and South Junction, as well as the Bronx Park Farmer’s Market in Winnipeg.