Since spring, Industrial Services has been giving two more bee colonies a home in Weinheim, Germany. In May, employees also planted a flower and herb garden, preparing a sumptuous spread for these diligent insects at the height of summer.
Before Sina Krupp, Marketing, Process Industry Germany, heads to her desk on this Tuesday morning, she has an important chore to perform. Not on her laptop or telephone but with a watering can. The flower and herb garden was planted along the outdoor terrace of the Industrial Services building on Lorscher Street, and has to be watered regularly – especially given the sizzling weather that Weinheim has had over the summer.
Lavender, round-headed leaks, geraniums, wild sage, rosemary and thyme are growing and thriving splendidly. The colorful flowers of these bee-friendly plants fill employees and visitors with delight. But the blossoms especially captivate their busy neighbors, roughly 200,000 bees, whose home is about 25 meters (27 yards) behind the Freudenberg building. The flowers and herbs are sources of pollen and nectar for the pollinators at the height of summer. Weeks after the main flowering season in the spring, these resources are increasingly in short supply.
Some background: Last year, at Krupp’s initiative, Industrial Services created a new home for bees by sponsoring two hives on its property. Experienced beekeepers from the “Bee different” company provided help right from the start. Last spring, two other hives were added, each a home to about 50,000 bees. “Industrial Services employees in Hamburg wanted to pursue the idea and decided to remotely sponsor an apiary for about 100,000 bees.” In short order, the Hamburg-sponsored “godchildren” had a home in Weinheim.
Like good siblings, Hamburg and Weinheim now share the sweet product of the beekeeping – the honey. The first “harvest” in June yielded nearly 40 kilograms (88 pounds) of it, enough for 170 jars, each bearing a special label. “At the second honey harvest in July, I was able to be there in person,” Krupp said. Sustainable and enjoyable, the honey will again make a good gift to customers at year’s end.
Volunteers plant a colorful garden
Back to the flower-filled meadow: In May, volunteers were quickly found to transform the lawn along the terrace into a colorful garden. When the ground proved to be harder – and far less cooperative – than expected, sheer muscle power was in demand. But the work was still completed in a couple hours. “ ‘Bee different,’ our partner, consulted with us on the plant selection. We took charge of the rest ourselves,” Krupp said. The bee aficionados also take turns watering the garden.
It’s Krupp’s turn on Tuesday mornings; a garden hose now makes the chore a bit easier. Incidentally, if other facilities are interested in a bee sponsorship, she is happy to pass on her experiences even on different days.
