Welcome to Hamlen's
Helping Hand!
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1st Newsletter of 2010

Upcoming Seminar: April 17th
Computer Landscape Design Seminar
Call to register. Wondering how to landscape your home? Have the expertise of a landscape designer help you turn your dream design into a workable plan. A 30 minute session is only $30. Reg. $40.

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The 1818 Rachel Hamlen homestead is looking for a new owner! Rachel’s lovely vintage home on St. Albans Road would be the perfect location and fit for a family, a cozy B&B, or an ice cream parlor/café restaurant. Interested? Give Dave a call at Hamlen’s (802) 868-4255.

Address: 165 ST. Albans Rd., Swanton, VT. 05488

Since 1945 the bee population in North America has declined by 50%. During the same time frame the need for pollination has doubled. This is information provided by the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. So why are the bees in trouble? Scientists believe the reasons for bee decline are pesticide use, stress, habitat loss, and pathogens.

In 2006, it was evident to beekeepers that their beehives were in big trouble. There were large numbers of bees dying outside the hive. This phenomenon is known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). Even bumble bees that pollinate our tomatoes, blueberries, and cranberries are at risk. What is interesting about the bumble bee is they can fly in cooler, damp weather and lower light than honeybees. When bumble bees land on a flower they hang on to it and buzz or vibrate the pollen off.

So why the concern, after all they are just bees and can be quite annoying when they end up in your car or house. It’s because 60-80% of the world’s flowering plants depend on pollination provided by bees and insects. It’s not just no bees and no pretty flowers, its no bees or insects and we have no food crops or a much diminished food supply. Let’s face it vegetables, fruits, and nuts need pollination in order to produce.

Are there things we can be doing? We need to stop using pesticides and herbicides. If you do use them make sure your using organic solutions and in moderation. You can also plant colors bees like, white, yellow, purple, blue, and violet are bee friendly colors that attract them. Also, plant flowers with single blooms as they have more pollen. Provide a shallow saucer with some flat stones in it so the bees can drink without drowning.

By reducing or stopping the use of pesticides and herbicides we can all do our part in bringing back the bee population. If we plant flowers with colors they like and make sure there are blooms from spring till fall we are guaranteeing a food source for the bees. To bee or not to bee that is the question.

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Wyatt Schifilliti is 9lbs. 13 oz. and 23” long. He was born to Ericka Hest and Tony Schifilliti on March 8th. Needless to say Ericka is very relieved.

Ericka works as an administrative assistant at Hamlen’s. Wyatt has an older brother Nathaniel. Mom, dad, and the two boys are doing great.

 

 

 

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A farmer was driving along the road with a load of fertilizer. A little boy, playing in front of his house, saw him and called, "What've you got in your truck?"

"Fertilizer," the farmer replied.

"What are you going to do with it?" asked the little boy.

"Put it on strawberries," answered the farmer.

"You ought to live here," the little boy advised him. "We put sugar and cream on ours."

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"A little Madness in the Spring
Is wholesome even for the King."
Emily Dickinson

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