The Portland Pollinator Harvest Party

Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a native bee and a honey bee? Or wondered what they do all day? Have you dreamed of becoming a beekeeper, wanted to plant more flowers for our winged friends, or wished you could taste honey fresh from the comb? Well, this is the event for you.

Join Bee The Change Landcare for a morning of bee-loving curiosity, hands-on learning, and community connection, alongside some wonderful local educators, makers, and pollinator enthusiasts. Bees are woven into so much of everyday life, from the fruit on the table to the flowers blooming along the sidewalks. Yet there is so much happening in their little worlds that people rarely get to see. Peek into those worlds, explore what it means to be in a reciprocal relationship with bees, and learn how we can cultivate more resilient gardens, ecosystems, and food systems for pollinators and people.

• Discover the difference between native and honeybees and how planting flowers, food, and habitat can support healthy pollinator populations right in your own neighborhood
• Get your hands into the world of native bees. Join Bee The Change and Portland Fruit Tree Project for a community Mason bee cocoon harvest. Learn how to safely harvest, clean, and store cocoons so the next generation is ready for spring.
• Taste the sweetness of the season. Join Bee The Change and Bee Built for a freshly crushed honeycomb demonstration, honey tasting, and conversation about thoughtful honey bee stewardship.
• Meet your local pollinator community. Explore beautiful bee houses and hives from Bee Built, preserves and opportunities to get involved with Portland Fruit Tree Project, garden signs from Sharotonin Signs, and local honey and stewardship opportunities from Bee The Change.

Have a Mason bee house at home? Bring your filled nesting reeds or trays for harvest. No bee house? No problem. Come learn, get your hands a little sticky, and make some new bee-loving friends