Room to grow: city touts bees and pollinator plants
May 7—Tracie Bowers could talk for hours about pollinator plants.
Bowers, who's been a master gardener since 2015, was one of the volunteers on hand Saturday for Sanford's inaugural Bee City USA Field Day.
Visitors could see a set of honeybee hives set up behind the city's municipal building at 225 E. Weatherspoon St. and see wares for sale, including native plants and beekeeping suits.
A.J. and Bill Stone of Bear Creek brought their three kids to the event.
"I try to teach all children, including my own, 'Don't swat the bees,' " A.J. Stone said.
A counselor at J.S. Waters School in Chatham County, A.J. Stone added that the event was great. "It's extremely important for us to remember to keep the bee population growing or all of our agriculture will suffer," she said.
"It's been a fantastic day," Bowers said. "I have met some interesting people, and I have educated a lot of people about native plants and pollinator plants."
Some of the native plants on display included mountain blazing star, Little Joe pye weed and black eyed Susan, which bloom with lavender, pink and yellow flowers respectively.
Another native plant that one could buy was the rattlesnake master, which looks like a cactus but is soft and doesn't prick the skin. It has blue-green flowers and attracts bees, butterflies moths and predatory insects.
Bowers noted that the public can come to the "pollinator haven" behind the North Carolina Extension building at 2420 Tramway Road to view 150 species of plants through a self or guided tour.
"We do a lot of educational programming using the garden," Bowers said, noting that students visit.
Calvin Terry Sr. came to the event to promote his son's business, Midnight Bee Supply of Vass in Moore County.
"We build beehive equipment," Terry said.
He showed a breathable beekeeper's suit made out of polyester that has a veil for one's face.
Bee City USA is a program administered by the Xerces Society that recognizes communities that have committed themselves to the conservation of pollinators.
Sanford was awarded bee-friendly status last year.
