Let it BEE!

Three live bee hives arrived at Wozu headquarters in early May of 2024. The bees were Saskatraz, a new strain, developed in Saskatchewan, Canada. Saskatraz Bees are known to be great honey producers and breed without the use of chemicals.

The bees were placed in an area with plenty of trees, vegetation, and less than a mile from the Cannon Ball River. The bees’ homes were ready to house the bees upon arrival. Wozu’s Regenerative Agriculture Food Sovereignty (RAFS) Program had prepared for the bees by putting the hives together, painting them white, and making simple syrup.

The process of getting the bees into the hives was difficult. Once they are in their new homes, the bees can be left alone for a few days. Giving bees simple syrup until flowers bloom will sustain the bees.

Checking on the honeybees is not an everyday thing; the bees will take care of themselves when they settle in.

Wozu’s Regenerative Agriculture Food Sovereignty (RAFS) Program hosted Honeybees this past spring/summer/fall. This was a first-time experience for the Regenerative agriculture program’s Manager and Technician, Jaimie Archambault and Faye Tikanye.

Jaimie and Faye started with the goal of harvesting seven ounces of honey. With little experience, RA wanted to make sure they could successfully host the honeybees for one season and harvest enough honey to

During the fall of 2025, Jamie and Faye harvested enough honey to share with seasonal employees, community gardeners, and Wozu’s staff and board members.

Most honey produced by the bees was left for the bees to eat during the winter. The hives were winterized in early November.

While we had high hopes for the bees to survive the winter, all bees perished due to freezing temperatures and other critters looking for food and shelter.