Giggles aren’t the only sweet things coming out of Chicago Village this summer! Our new friends at Bike A Bee collaborated with our Chicago Village Garden Project to bring hope and honey to One Family Illinois.
In order to increase pollination of our crops and help our community learn about the importance of protecting pollinators, we started a partnership this year with Bike A Bee, a local beekeeping collective. As part of this partnership, Bike A Bee sited a set of hives at Chicago Village, allowing the children in our care to observe the hives while the busy bees pollinated our flowers, fruits, and vegetables. Members from Bike A Bee took care of all the beekeeping responsibilities, collected the honey, and gathered the beeswax, while our Gardener, Meg Mass, managed the partnership.
As a result of these hives, Bike A Bee founder, Jana Kinsman, bottled 168 8oz jars of honey – the most gathered from any Chicago garden! Kinsman gifted a number of jars to be used by our community while the others may be available for purchase. Check back soon to learn how you might be able to get your hands on some One Family Illinois Honey!
Thank you, Bike A Bee, for helping make our community extra sweet!