Category: Blog

I see bumblebees foraging among the zinnias, golden rod, and sunflowers that flourish and flower in my yard. Bumblebee’s plump, adorable bodies are dusted with pollen making them look like bright yellow pillows.

I admire their work ethic. As you see in Don Brockmeir’s close-up of a bumblebee, she seems to grasp her work of sipping nectar with all six legs and her mandibles too, and while collecting nectar she is also attracting beads of pollen to her hairy brown and yellow striped body to carry home.

I’m interested in learning what “home” is for a bumblebee. My research tells me that home may be a hole in the ground, a vacated gopher hole, a scoop of dirt in a neglected garden, a raft of dried leaves, in a compost heap or under sheds.

By September, these old nests are declining because the 2025 season for bumblebees is preparing to close. At the first frost all will die except for the young queens. She (the newly mated queen) will leave her home and find a winter shelter. Th newly mated bumblebee will dig into loose soil, leaf litter, or under logs where she will hibernate until spring.

She is foraging among the late blooming flowers in your landscape searching for pollen and nectar so that she may endure a long winter. The following is a list of Nebraska Native plants with blooms that provide nectar and pollen for the bumblebees in your neighborhood.

Late-Summer & Fall Bumble Bee Flowers in Nebraska

Native Wildflowers

• Goldenrods– Perhaps the most important fall forage; blooms late August through frost.
• Asters – Critical nectar source in September.
• Blazing Star– Blooms into late August; purple spikes that attract bees nonstop.
• Sunflowers– Both wild and garden sunflowers keep blooming into September.
• Joe-Pye Weed – Tall, showy clusters with lots of nectar.
• Coneflowers– Still blooming into late summer.
• Ironweed– Bright purple flowers in August/September.
• Rattlesnake Master– Spiky, unique, loved by pollinators.

Prairie Grasses with Companion Blooms

• Prairie Clover – If planted earlier, still offers forage in late summer.
• Buttercup– Tall yellow flowers, very attractive to bees.

How may we help?

• Bumblebees are searching for a safe space to spend the winter. Leave plant litter, dried leaves and compost for them to crawl under.
• Plant two or three or more of the flowers listed above for bumblebees to forage throughout September

A solitary hunter, ardea horodias

The heron stands

Balancing on one foot

Composed

Swank blue plumes and a dashing crest

A regal bird

Wading in still waters

Beside green pastures

Don Brockmeier’s photo of the Blue Heron he came upon in August inspired my poem.

Blue Heron always appears poised and expectant of a photo to show his beautiful blue feathers and graceful form. In August Blue Heron, may be seen in standing in shallow waters or on a low branch with eyes focused on the water. Herons primarily catch and eat fish, but they are truly omnivorous carnivores eating almost anything that moves and will fit in their gullets: frogs, turtles, snakes, mice, shrews, small muskrats, lizards, crawfish, grasshoppers and dragonflies. They even rob the nests of low land birds, such as blackbirds.

A stately, solitary hunter, ardea herodias stands at least four feet tall from its feet planted in the marsh muck to the end of its long, pointed beak.

Smokey-blue plumes on its crest and back dramatically embellish a spare, sleek body feathered in pewter gray. Bony stilts for legs, with heels that flex and place large, slender feet in dark pools.

The great blue’s wingspan is more than six feet from tip to tip, yet for all this length and breadth, the bird generally weighs only somewhere between five and eight pounds.

In 2001 the McFarland Clan (yes, a Scottish heritage), and long-time ranchers and cattlemen in Dawson County, Nebraska founded Mac’s Creek Winery, Brewery and Tasting Room. The grape vines grow in view of the Tasting Room facilities on a scenic site of MacFarland property bordering Lexington, Nebraska.

Creekside cottages were added to accommodate over night stays.  The three unique cottages feature vaulted ceilings, luxurious beds, full bathrooms, air conditioning, heat and porches  with views of beautiful Spring Creek.   

Recently, a MacFarland family member, Adylin MacFarland returned to the Mac’s Creek property after acquiring a certification in Landscaping with Native Plants.  Adylin has established Nebraska Native Plant gardens and trails throughout the spacious property. 

The green and glowing grape vines, walking trails, gardens of thriving Native plants, hand-crafted appetizers and genuinely welcoming  staff make Mac’s Creek the place for good times and to relax and renew. 

Contact Mac’s Creek Winery & Brewery www.Macscreek.com, 43315 County Road 757, Lexington, Nebraska contact # 308-324-0440

Contact Adylin MacFarland – Native Nursery Landscaping Company, contact # 970-817-4023

June arrives, and the constraints of winter finally unwind around me. I begin to feel free. My daily routine shifts with the early sunrise and the long, lingering sunsets. Even the colors in my closet change—where once there were shades of gray, black, dark blue, and brown, now hang clothes in lime green, pastel blue, crisp white, and rosy peach. It’s as if nature and I are shedding winter’s weight together.

This is the month I reconnect with the birds, many returning from their long winter migration.

Food is plentiful in Nebraska now, and so are the materials they use to build their nests. Their feathers are at their brightest, their energy infectious. Birds seem happiest in June—newly arrived, full of vitality, and ready to start families under the wide summer sky.

Photographer Don Brockmeier’s photo of a bluebird fluttering in mid-air expresses the joy of life in June 2025, and his photo inspired the same expression in me.

Spring and the work steps-up for both the beekeepers and the bees. The beekeepers carry out 3 tasks:

1. Spring feeding – Beekeepers feed their bees a sugar syrup until the plums, clover and chokecherry bushes bloom.
2. Medicate for mites – We check each hive to gage if the varroa mite load warrants mediation (and most certainly it does) then medicate the hive to lessen the number of varroa mites.
3. Check queen health – check the health of the queen by noticing the patterns of the sealed brood on the frames. At this time decisions are made concerning replacing the queen. If the hive looks healthy and with plenty of worker bees, sometimes we split this hive, a process involving buying a queen and starting a new hive with her plus several frames of brood and the nurse bees that cling to the frames.. 

A bee hive consists of one queen, drones and thousands of worker bees. Each has a part in the life of the hive. The queen controls the population of the hive, the drones fertilize the future queens in the region, and do nothing to support the work of the hive.

What is a bee’s work? Have you heard anyone say, “Busy as a bee.” The following list of tasks (I’m certain bees do even more than on this list) that bees handle will illustrate the accuracy of this description:

The Work of the Worker Bees

1. Young bees called nurse bees clean cells, feed larvae, construct comb and ripen the nectar.
2.  Later these bees graduate into field bees. They collect nectar and pollen, regulate the hive temperature, forage for water to drink and cool the nest, defend the colony, remove sick or dead bees from the hive, collect sticky plant resins called propolis and place it around the hive to seal small gaps and cover rough surfaces.

I consider beekeeping a lot of work and responsibility yet compared to the day of the average bee, the beekeeper has the short end of this stick.

Happy Mother’s Day! Buzz Savories has designed a gift certain to delight the mothers, grandmothers, aunts, and great aunts and all those on your Mother’s Day gift list.

We will pack 2 jars of Buzz Savories local, all-natural and luscious honey plus a honey twizzle stick and an original card by artist, Caylin McCormick with your personal message.  All shipped for $25.00!


Order on our website. Click the SHOP button then scroll to the Buzz Savories Honey 2-pack or click the shop button below. Complete your order as directed then write your message in the Order Notes section. Happy Mother’s Day!

The “What If” series on Nebraska Public Media features Nebraska entrepreneurs and Nebraska stories. The day Mike Tobias at Nebraska Public Media invited me, the entrepreneur of Buzz Savories LLC, to film a Nebraska Public Media ”What If “video production, I felt delighted, and at the same time, I recognized a potential for chaos. I doubted that Mike, the film crew and the “What If” audience have any idea of filming stinging bees living in a colony of 6,000 sisters. I also thought of me blending and packing gallons of Spicy Beer Mustard in the Funk School commercial kitchen with steam rolling out of the processing pans and the hazards embedded in the process. I presented Mike with a few scenarios that may occur, and he calmed my visions of disaster by saying that the film crew would be prepared and were confident of success.

I accepted the opportunity and anticipated their visit to Holdrege, then Elm Creek to meet the bees and lastly Funk School Community Center and the commercial kitchen.

The story begins with extraordinary close-up of bee behavior. The videographer, outfitted in a bee suit, laying on his stomach with a miniature camera, filmed the bees carrying pollen and nectar into the hive for unloading while the sound specialist catches the audio of the bee buzz.

Then to the Funk School Community Center commercial kitchen where viewers will see Mike blending the 9 ingredients of Spicy Beer Mustard with my 30 lb. commercial stick blender, me filling each jar with mustard, and then processing the jars in a boiling water bath and the final step, labeling the jars. The emphasis here is on the work and the processes and seeing the ingredients and the finished product.

The last scene shows me in my home kitchen demonstrating a recipe for the TikTok audience, and you will meet the lovely and skillful videographer, Michelle McCormick. Then hear my brief take on aging.

If any of this interests you, the “What If” video featuring Buzz Savories will show on April 9, 2025 at 9 pm on Nebraska Public Media, or if you are unable to watch the Nebraska Public Media film, check out Buzz Savories on YouTube and see the “What if” film on our YouTube channel. See other videos of me making marvelous eats here.

I appreciate your interest. Betty Anne at Buzz Savories

When you see a honeybee buzzing from flower to flower or a butterfly gracefully landing on a bloom, you’re witnessing nature’s most essential workers in action. Pollinators—like bees, butterflies, moths, and even hummingbirds—are responsible for fertilizing many of the fruits, vegetables, and flowers we love. In fact, nearly 75% of all flowering plants depend on pollinators!

But these small, hardworking creatures face big challenges, from habitat loss to pesticide exposure. The good news? Whether you have a sprawling backyard or just a few potted plants on a balcony, you can help make a difference! Here are some simple, impactful ways to support pollinators in your own garden and lawn.

1. Plant a Pollinator-Friendly Garden

One of the easiest and most effective ways to support pollinators is by planting flowers rich in nectar and pollen. Opt for native plants—they’re naturally suited to your region and attract local pollinators. Consider:

• Wildflowers like purple coneflower, black-eyed Susan, milkweed (especially common, swamp, or butterfly milkweed), prairie clover, and bee balm
• Herbs like lavender, mint, chives, and oregano
• Flowering shrubs like leadplant, New Jersey tea, wild plum, and elderberry

Pro Tip: Choose plants that bloom at different times throughout the season to provide a continuous food source!

2. Ditch the Pesticides
Many pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides harm pollinators, even if they aren’t the intended target. If possible, switch to natural pest control methods like introducing beneficial insects (ladybugs love to eat aphids!) or using neem oil.

3. Provide a Water Source
Just like us, pollinators need water! A shallow dish with stones or a birdbath with fresh water can serve as a much-needed drinking spot. Keep it clean and refill it regularly to keep pollinators coming back.

4. Leave Some Wild Spaces
A perfectly manicured lawn may look nice, but it doesn’t offer much to pollinators. Let a section of your yard grow naturally or plant a small wildflower patch. Even leaving dandelions in early spring provides an important early nectar source for bees!

5. Support Local Beekeepers
Purchasing local, raw honey—like Buzz Savories All Natural & Local Honey—not only treats you to a delicious, pure product, but also supports beekeepers who maintain healthy, thriving hives. When you buy local honey, you’re helping protect honeybee populations and the essential role they play in pollination.

Every little bit helps! Whether you plant a few bee-friendly flowers or switch to natural lawn care, your efforts contribute to a healthier environment for pollinators.

How are you supporting pollinators in your yard? Share your favorite tips! And if you’re looking for the perfect locally sourced honey to sweeten your day, check out Buzz Savories’ local Nebraska Honey and other pollinator-friendly products.