Supporting bees by getting beekeepers online

Much has been written about declining honeybee populations and the danger this could have for the rest of our ecosystem, including food production. One solution is to support beekeepers, which is where Heimathonig comes in. Launched in Germany earlier this year, it’s a directory that helps consumers find and buy from local beekeepers. According to Heimathonig, there are over 85,000 beekeepers in Germany, most of whom are too small to build and maintain their own website. On Heimathonig, they can create a profile that includes information about their bees, the flowers they gather nectar from, where they’re based, etc. Beekeepers can use Heimathonig to sell their products online, and can also link to their own website if they have one. The company charges an annual listing fee of EUR 60. Honey is a deeply local product, inherently connected to the plants and meadows surrounding a colony’s hive. Yet only 20 percent of the honey consumed in Germany is produced locally. (The other 80 percent usually comes in jars proclaiming markedly un-local “mixed EU and non-EU origins”). Combined with consumer interest in local food, that sounds like a sweet opportunity for growth. Time to partner with Heimathonig and start connecting beekeepers with honey-lovers in your own country? (Related: Web developer focuses on farms — British supermarket builds bee hotels to help pollinate local crops — An Etsy for artisanal food.)