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About Siletz news / (Siletz, OR) 199?-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 1, 2020)
What does it take to Bee Friendly? How can you help them survive and thrive? Seven Steps to Bee Friendly By Nancy Ludwig, MS, RDN, LD, Siletz Tribal Head Start Nutritionist As part of my role as a consultant nutritionist to Siletz Tribal Head Start, I offer information for families. Today’s topic is about bee friendly practices because our nourishment and survival is interconnected with bee health. Now is a good time to plan ahead for the garden- ing season. Bees are important for more than honey. Without bees, there is no food. Healthy bees are vital to a healthy environ- ment and healthy economy. However, bees are in trouble. There is growing concern about bee decline across the world. This decline is caused by a combination of stresses. We can “Bee Friendly” by turning our concern into action to ensure bees don’t just survive but thrive. 1. Stop, look and listen. 2. Fall in love with bee-friendly plants (including native plants and medicinal herbs). 3. Avoid harmful sprays, i.e. neonicotinoids. 4. Know a little about bees and what they do (habits and habitat). 5. Address fears and allergies. 6. Remember emergency preparedness skills can bee friendly. 7. Fit this knowledge into daily practice and world view – Bee Friendly. Stop, look and listen Stop, look and listen as you assess your surroundings. Do you notice a bee population and healthy plant life? Why or why not? What plants are growing around you? Do you find bee-friendly plants, such as native plants and medicinal herbs? Do you hear bees or other pollinators? Fall in love with bee-friendly plants Fall in love with medicinal herbs and native plants. Include native plants in your landscape. Plant and use medicinal herbs. Realize that almost all of the most impor- tant bee plants are valuable for human health as well. This kinship among people, plants and pollinators (bees) reveals that in the web of life, what is good for one is good for all. As we understand herbs and blooming plants, we support bees and they support us in return. Research highlights the need for bees to have unlimited access to bio-diverse forage and landscapes in order to repro- duce and heal themselves. Allow plants to bloom in early spring or late summer/ fall (dearth times) for continuous supply and never spray while in bloom. Also, let’s celebrate local food in our kitchens by supporting sustainable farmers. Medicinal herbs include: Holy Tulsi basil, oregano, marshmallow, dandelion, California poppy, hawthorn, mint, basil, Vitex chastebrry, alfalfa, elecampane, Did your Medicare deduction increase? If your Medicare deductions increased for 2020, please send the clinic your Medicare statement so your reimbursement will reflect the new amount. Send to: SCHC Attn. Sara Bell-Tellez P.O. Box 320 Siletz, OR 97380 USDA distribution dates for January Siletz Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Jan. 6 Jan. 7 Jan. 8 Jan. 9 Jan. 10 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Salem Tuesday Jan. 21 1:30 – 6:30 p.m. Wednesday Jan. 22 9 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. Thursday Jan. 23 9 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. By appt only Friday Jan. 24 We hope you all have a safe and Happy New Year! The new year is bringing more changes to the food package. USDA and our Food Package Review Board are add- ing a 2-4 pound boneless lamb shoulder roast to the food package. I believe this product was purchased with funds from the traditional foods grant and I’m not sure when we will see it in our catalogue. They are also increasing the number of vegetables that households can choose. 4 • Siletz News • The expansion of the Siletz ware- house freezer is complete and it is great to have the space to order more of the frozen foods. In the past couple of months, we have added frozen peas and frozen straw- berries. Soon we will see frozen carrots. We should also have copies of our new cookbook that was created using all of the recipes from our cooking demonstrations and the recipe contest we had several years ago. They are beautiful and we will have enough to give one to each household and then we will sell extra copies if you want them. LIKE us on Facebook at Siletz Tribal FDPIR. We would like to see more people sharing their recipes on our FB page. Like us at SILETZ TRIBAL FDPIR. Joyce Retherford, FDP Director 541-444-8393 Sammy Hall, Warehouseman/Clerk 541-444-8279 January 2020 echinacea, anise hyssop, lemon balm, thyme, St. Johns wort, chickweed, skullcap, elderberry, chamomile, valerian, catnip, parsley, sunchokes, Oregon grape, linden, bee balm, comfrey, self heal, cleavers, pas- sionflower, lavender, rosemary, hops, red clover, dill, yarrow, sage, calendula. Favorite native plants include: Oregon grape, serviceberry, hawthorn, Pacific dogwood, camas, oceanspray, madrone, huckleberry, 9-bark, ceanothus, black cap raspberry, elderberry, salal, bleeding heart, vine maple, manzanita, thimbleberry, cot- tonwood, hazel, mock orange, snowberry, flowering currant, chokeberry, big leaf maple, Indian plum, salmonberry, willow. Avoid harmful pesticides and be careful when purchasing plants Plant pesticides can harm bees. Neo- nicotinoid pesticides are linked with hon- eybee colony collapses. To bee friendly, avoid the group of insecticides that include neonicotinoids. This pesticide type is transferred in pollen and causes harm to bees by alter- ing their grooming and defenses against deadly mites. When neonicotinoids are combined with other pesticides, such as pyrethroids or fungicides, the effects increase, including queen mortality. When you purchase plants (even the potted nursery flowers), choose ones that are labeled “bee friendly” or check the link below for guidance. When nursery opera- tions treat seeds with neonicotinoid pesti- cides, they become systemic, which means this insecticide is present in pollen and nec- tar that pollinators come into contact with when foraging. Neonicotinoids can also be spread to other plants through pollination. Know a little about bees, what they do Bees pollinate or fertilize plants when pollen catches on their bodies and is transferred to the next plant in the process of seeking food to bring back to the hive. There are approximately 500 species of bees in Oregon. Many of these pollinate the diverse crops grown here. These species can be very different in their size, appearance, habitat, life cycle, flowers visited and overall behavior. Female bees do most of the work. Honey- bees and bumblebees are social, meaning that they live in social colonies (that most of us call hives). Most honeybees are kept by beekeep- ers in colonies of managed hives. Bumble- bee hives usually exist in holes, either in the ground or in tree cavities. Most native bees in Oregon are solitary, meaning only a single female builds the nest and lays eggs. Solitary bees include mining bees, which nest in the ground, as well as mason bees and leafcutter bees that nest in holes in dead wood, banks and walls. The Oregon Department of Agricul- ture published a guide to common bee pol- linators of Oregon crops. Pollen-carrying hairs are a primary feature of bees for function and appearance. Bees vary in size and hair placement. Wasps are not bees. Honeybees are hairy, while wasps usually have smooth and shiny skin. Wasps are also important pollinators, but are less effective due to the lack of fuzzy hair. Address fears and allergies Bee allergies can be deadly and stings hurt! A world without bees, however, is not the solution for mankind or for nature. People can be allergic to bees, wasps or both due to the reaction to venom (which is complicated and variable in what it contains). People with allergies need to take personal action by having a plan that may include carrying an epi-pen or working with a doctor to desensitize. Controlling and eliminating bees will not be effective to protect individuals with bee allergies. Fear of being stung is natural. Under- standing bee behavior is useful when they are present. Bees and wasps can give pain- ful stings. Honeybees and bumblebees, however, are less aggressive than wasps. Bees can smell fear and generally attack only when provoked. Honeybees die after stinging once (which means that they are not likely to sting unless the colony is threatened). Wasps, solitary bees and bumblebees can sting multiple times. Remember emergency preparedness skills can bee friendly When we develop relationships with bee-friendly plants, we improve our survival skills in possible emergencies. By landscaping our neighborhood with medicinal herbs and native plants, we help the bees and ourselves. When we use the plants for food and nourishment or medicine for healing, our skills increase. We may share harvest and knowledge or teach others by example. As we become inspired to learn more, plant identification skills for wild food foraging is another benefit of emergency preparedness. “Beeing friendly” can improve our survival. Fit this knowledge into daily practice and worldview – Bee Friendly What can you do as your part to Bee Friendly? Ideas are provided above. All can be incorporated with gradual shifts one small step at a time. Our health and the health of our natural ecosystems is fundamentally linked to the health of our bees and other pollinators. Links for additional information • • • • • odaguides.us/ (interactive guide to com- mon bee pollinators of Oregon crops) oregonbeeproject.org/ (official col- laborative resource website) pbs.org/newshour/science/neonicot- inoid-pesticides-slowly-killing-bees (information about neonicotinoids) milkweedrising.com/neonicotinoids- pollinator-garden/ (practical purchas- ing information) Consider taking a bee class from Sun Queen School of Apiary Arts with Fonta Molyneaux in the Cot- tage Grove area. facebook.com/pg/ sunqueenschool/about/ Siletz Tribal Head Start offers nutri- tional support at no cost to Head Start families. This usually occurs over the telephone. If you have questions or nutri- tion concerns about your Head Start child, please contact your teacher or the director and ask to speak to the nutritionist.
