Bees gather pollen from an amazing number of flowering plants, trees, shrubs, gardens, vegetables, grasses, and more. This is their single source of dietary protein, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids! We collect pollen by “trapping” certain colonies throughout the season. This is simply an invention that forces the bees returning to the hive to wriggle through a double screen door. The screen is small enough to allow the bees to get through, but knocks off some of the baggage they are carrying, which is...the pollen pellets!

These fall into a drawer under the hive which allows us to collect the pollen, which we do daily, and get it into the freezer immediately. The flavor of pollen varies greatly depending upon the time of the season, from somewhat bitter to bland to extremely sweet. We blend the year's supply to make a uniform product.

If your curiosity is piqued, click on this website for further information www.fao.org/docrep/w0076e/w0076e10.htm.

Pollen can be consumed as is, mixed with honey (the way the bees do it), sprinkled over yogurt, cereal or ice cream, or added to a vinigret over a tossed green salad.  We've even got a recipe for pollen candy!