On Sugar, Bees and Honey

For years, we lived in a vast Valley with Rich Black Soils. While that Valley had once been an expansive Northern Tallgrass Prairie Region, it has been converted into Crops since Western Settlement, these past 100 plus years. Because the Valley was wide, flat, and capable of being drained, the Land became Industrial Farm Land with huge expanses of Crops.

One of the Crops raised in that Valley was Sugar Beets. Consequently, up and down the Valley were huge complexes of Factories which converted Beets to Sugar to feed the Current Ravenous Diet of Humans for such Things.

I would often travel up and down that Valley by Interstate. I had many opportunities to meditate on those Fields and the heavy hand of Humans on the Natural Landscape. Plus, I could reflect on the Industrial Process designed to make Sugar, as I passed those Huge Industrial Complexes. During production, I always hoped the Wind would keep the Fumes from the Smoke Stacks out of my Way. If not, I would speed up a Bit.

During one of those excursions, I began to reflect on our Humble and Noble Bees which are in serious decline in this Country. How is possible that Bees seem to alter the Natural Landscape less and still produce Sweet Things in their Hives when Heavy Handed Humans create something Gargantuan to take their place?