In midsummer, our fields of certified organic Echinacea purpurea are a purple blaze as far as the eye can see. The nearly shoulder-high flowers that take root in these Pacific Northwest soils are a pollinator favorite, and native bees and butterflies flock to the fields in droves. The sheer multitude of winged beings that encircle each bloom is an impressive sight to behold—visual proof of the power of organic agriculture.
While the blooms do wonders to attract pollinators, growing our echinacea organically ensures that the insecticides that keep away “unwanted pests” in conventional agriculture don’t also wreak havoc on our winged friends. The neonicotinoids that are regularly a part of the synthetic insecticide cocktails used on conventional fields are chemically similar to nicotine, and new research shows that, as with humans and nicotine, bees can become addicted to neonicotinoid pollen, which rapidly increases the level of toxicity in the hive and contributes to colony collapse.*
Synthetic pesticide avoidance is an obvious benefit of organic farms, but organics offer several lesser-known perks for pollinators as well, including protecting native habitat. Studies have shown a higher abundance and wider diversity of pollinators on organic farms, and one study even found that organic agriculture can help increase biodiversity on nearby conventional farms too!*
For those plant-loving green thumbs out there, you can support pollinators by doing more than just buying organic products. Create an organic refuge in your own backyard! Pollinator-friendly plants are not only beautiful, but having an abundance of native bees nearby can increase the yield of your fruit trees and vegetable gardens too, so it’s a win-win. For a convenient option, check out our new Butterfly Lover and Honeybee Lover seed sets.
Here are some tips for getting started with your own pollinator-friendly patch:
You may also be interested in:
*Research provided by The Organic Center, a nonprofit organization that communicates about and conducts science of interest to the organic community. Learn more: www.organic-center.org.
Topics: Sustainability, Green Living
Kiley Gwynn, certified BJCP beer judge and Brand Director at Ninkasi Brewing Company, enjoys a wide variety of hobbies—but her deepest passion is homebrewing. She loves spreading the joy of homebrewing and over the last decade has become deeply involved in the Oregon homebrewing community. Kiley is an award-winning homebrewer who holds a seat on the executive committee of Cascade Brewers Society and is a member of American Homebrewers Association Diversity Subcommittee. She loves brewing herbally inspired beers at educational events like Learn to Homebrew Day. When she’s not working as a blog contributor at Mountain Rose Herbs or in her homebrewery, you’ll likely find her under a pile of yarn with a crochet project, in the kitchen working on her latest small batch canning adventure or chasing her rescued red heeler down the beach.
.jpg?width=1080&name=2023%20(1).jpg "Mountain Rose Herbs 2023 Impact Report")
In midsummer, our fields of certified organic Echinacea purpurea are a purple blaze as far as the eye can see. The nearly shoulder-high flowers that take root in these Pacific Northwest soils are a pollinator favorite, and native bees and butterflies flock to the fields in droves. The sheer multitude of winged beings that encircle each bloom is an impressive sight to behold—visual proof of the power of organic agriculture.
While the blooms do wonders to attract pollinators, growing our echinacea organically ensures that the insecticides that keep away “unwanted pests” in conventional agriculture don’t also wreak havoc on our winged friends. The neonicotinoids that are regularly a part of the synthetic insecticide cocktails used on conventional fields are chemically similar to nicotine, and new research shows that, as with humans and nicotine, bees can become addicted to neonicotinoid pollen, which rapidly increases the level of toxicity in the hive and contributes to colony collapse.*
Synthetic pesticide avoidance is an obvious benefit of organic farms, but organics offer several lesser-known perks for pollinators as well, including protecting native habitat. Studies have shown a higher abundance and wider diversity of pollinators on organic farms, and one study even found that organic agriculture can help increase biodiversity on nearby conventional farms too!*
For those plant-loving green thumbs out there, you can support pollinators by doing more than just buying organic products. Create an organic refuge in your own backyard! Pollinator-friendly plants are not only beautiful, but having an abundance of native bees nearby can increase the yield of your fruit trees and vegetable gardens too, so it’s a win-win. For a convenient option, check out our new Butterfly Lover and Honeybee Lover seed sets.
Here are some tips for getting started with your own pollinator-friendly patch:
You may also be interested in:
*Research provided by The Organic Center, a nonprofit organization that communicates about and conducts science of interest to the organic community. Learn more: www.organic-center.org.
Topics: Sustainability, Green Living
Kiley Gwynn, certified BJCP beer judge and Brand Director at Ninkasi Brewing Company, enjoys a wide variety of hobbies—but her deepest passion is homebrewing. She loves spreading the joy of homebrewing and over the last decade has become deeply involved in the Oregon homebrewing community. Kiley is an award-winning homebrewer who holds a seat on the executive committee of Cascade Brewers Society and is a member of American Homebrewers Association Diversity Subcommittee. She loves brewing herbally inspired beers at educational events like Learn to Homebrew Day. When she’s not working as a blog contributor at Mountain Rose Herbs or in her homebrewery, you’ll likely find her under a pile of yarn with a crochet project, in the kitchen working on her latest small batch canning adventure or chasing her rescued red heeler down the beach.
