Lots of people know about Woodland’s famous sunflowers – but did you know that they rely on the excellent pollination infrastructure here to thrive? The region’s fertile soil and Mediterranean climate support over 300 different crops in Yolo County alone. Many of these crops require insect pollination, including buckwheat, peaches, and almonds. Almond trees – the top crop in Yolo County – rely almost entirely on bees for pollination, and they return the favor – almond pollen is especially healthy for bees. Many other crops require efficient cross-pollination carried out by experienced local pollination services that have been supporting our region for generations. Our fertile soil and varied landscape are perfect for growers and ranchers but also for raising healthy, thriving bees – a balance that’s tough to find.
Did you know that Almond Lane, one of the family owned and women-run ag businesses in Woodland, is the first almond producer in the world to achieve the “Sustainably Grown by SCS Global Services” certification? This voluntary certification validates their environmentally and socially responsible practices that they implement on their farm, which also greatly benefit the honey bee!