Support Your Local Food Source: Protect the Pollinators

Did you add local blueberries to your morning breakfast this summer, or cut into a hearty acorn squash purchased at your local farmstand? These Michigan agricultural treasures wouldn’t be possible without the work of small creatures like the native squash bees and the ruby-throated hummingbird. Why? Eighty percent of plants exist because of the small yet mighty pollinator workforce.¹

So what is a pollinator, exactly? Pollinators are bees, butterflies, moths, flies, and birds that help transport the genetic material of a male flower to a female flower, which then creates fruit and other foods.

“One out of every three bites that you eat requires pollination²,” says Michigan farmer and entomologist Heather Leach. “But it’s not just humans! From the squirrels to the birds to the bears—they all require foods like nuts, berries, and fruits that need pollination. Because of this, pollinator abundance and diversity can serve as a local proxy for ecosystem health.”

Leach co-owns Harrand Hill (formerly Tanti Radici), a farm located just south of Traverse City. When she and her husband, Tom, moved to this ‘forever farm’, they expected to put in a lot of work to entice pollinators to visit due to the surrounding corn and soy farms. “The pollinators surprised me—they were both abundant and diverse! We grew some of the best watermelons I’ve ever tasted, had incredible yields on our pollinator-dependent crops, and had so many natural enemies that helped us fend off pests like aphids,” Leach says. “We want to do everything we can to support insect diversity,” which includes a collaboration with Michigan Natural Conservation Service (NRCS) to expand their focused planting of grassland habitat restoration.

While farmers can support and benefit from a healthy pollinator population, Leach emphasizes that everyone can contribute to a resilient food system by preserving natural habitats. “Globally, we’re estimated to have lost around 45% of our insect population in the last 40 years³.” Creating designated habitat space in your backyard can assist local farmers with their yields. Try Leach’s tips, below, to get started!

Heather Leach at farm Harrand Hill

Heather’s Tips for Pollinators at Home:

Pollinators are resilient creatures –by doing 3 easy things, their presence will reward you pretty quickly. These steps contribute to a healthier environment and support the crucial role of pollinators in sustaining biodiversity and food production.

  • Feed them by mowing less and planting flowers. Bees in particular tend to like blue, white, and yellow-toned flowers.
  • House them—most bees live in the ground and cavities like grass reeds. Leave bare ground, plant native grasses, or explore building ‘bee hotels.’
  • Don’t kill them; avoid using pesticides as much as possible. If pesticides are necessary, choose products with low toxicity to bees and other pollinators.

1 “Insects and Pollinators | National Agricultural Library.” n.d. https://www.nal. usda.gov/animal-health-and-welfare/insects-and-pollinators.

2 “The Importance of Pollinators.” n.d. USDA. https://www.usda.gov/peoples-garden/pollinators

3 Wagner, David L., Eliza M. Grames, Matthew L. Forister, May R. Berenbaum, and David Stopak. 2021. “Insect Decline in the Anthropocene: Death by a Thousand Cuts.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 118 (2). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2023989118.

This article was originally published in the 2024 Local Food Guide.