Spring, Bees, & Blossoms

Despite our on again, off again spring weather, there are sure signs spring is here! The asparagus harvest has begun and the fruit trees are in bloom. The parade of blossoms starts with apricot, next cherries, pears, peaches and the climax is apple blossoms. This is a critical time for pollination and fruit set.

Honey bees are the main agent for pollination but many flying insects play a role. Our farm has many native species of bees and wasps including our favourite, the bumble bee. Bumble bees are awesome as they will work in cooler weather than honey bees. One of the key reasons that bees are so effective at pollinating is because of their hairy bodies. When they land on a flower, pollen gets stuck all over them and so they very efficient, by accident, at mixing pollen from flower to flower.

Bees have amazing taste buds and don’t just forage in a random way. They are attracted to sweetness and the volume of flowers available. Different flowers have different levels of natural sugar content. In the fruit trees, pears have low sugar - only 8 %. Apples are much sweeter at 12-15% but dandelions are very sweet, often close to 20%! As farmers we are always managing our properties to attract and retain healthy bees and have a diversity of flowers like dandelions to help maintain bee health. But just before the trees bloom we will mow them off to reduce the distraction from our fruit crops. On an individual flight from the hive, bees will only forage on one type of flower if there is plenty of sweet bloom they will relay the message to the rest of the hive. They use a special dance that indicates direction and distance to a good forage area. The complexity of bloom and pollination is fascinating! If you come to the farm for the tours in the next couple of weekends you will hear a lot more about the blossoms and the role of the bees on our farm.

On another note, Mother’s Day is just around the corner and I would like to invite you all to come celebrate these special ladies at our farm this weekend. The café will be serving amazing lunches and desserts as usual, the tours in the blossom (weather permitting) should be spectacular!

In closing, as I write this my mom Dora Davison is celebrating her 86th birthday. She has been such an amazing support and Godly example for 3 generations of the Davison Family. I want to express a special thank you to my own mom and also wish all the moms and grandmothers a very special day this Sunday.

Sincerely,

Tom Davison

Directions:

- Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes.

- In the meantime, cut the tips off of the asparagus spears and set aside. Cut the remaining spears into 1/2-inch pieces.

- Add the chopped asparagus (except for the tips) to the pot, and stir for a few minutes until asparagus is coated with butter and lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to low, simmer for about 5-8 minutes until asparagus is tender.

- Meanwhile, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to a skillet and add the tips. Sauteé until tender crisp and lightly browned. Set aside.

- In batches in blender, purée soup until smooth. Return to saucepan over medium-low heat; stir in whipping cream, lemon juice and grated cheese. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and more lemon juice if desired.

- Ladle the soup into bowls, then top each bowl with asparagus tips, fresh chopped herbs, more grated cheese and freshly ground black pepper if desired.

Cream of Asparagus Soup

Ingredients:

- 3 bunches asparagus (about 3 pounds)

- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

- 2 medium yellow onions, chopped

- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed

- 5 cups l chicken broth

- 1 cup whipping cream

- Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, from one lemon

- 1/4 cup grated Grana Padano cheese

- Handful fresh herbs, such as thyme, dill or basil (optional, for garnish)