Farming in the shade

Michigan is the fourth-largest grape producing state in the nation, with about 2,000 acres devoted to wine grapes. Michigan has more than 70 commercial wineries. Michigan ranks seventh in the nation for honey production. About 50% of Michigan's fruit and vegetable industry is highly dependent on honey bee pollination.

Flowers and other blossoming plants have nectarines that produce sugary nectar. Worker bees suck up the nectar and water and store it in a special honey stomach. When the stomach is full the bee returns to the hive and puts the nectar in an empty honeycomb. Natural chemicals from the bees head glands and the evaporation of th water from the nectar change the nectar into honey. In one day a honey bee can fly 12 miles and pollinate up to 10,000 flowers.

A hive of bees flies over 55,000 miles to bring you one pound of honey. A honey bee can fly 15 miles per hour. Honey bees must tap two million flowers to make one pound of honey. Each worker honey bee makes 1/12th teaspoon of honey in its lifetime. Honey bees visit 50-100 flowers during one honey collecting trip.