Harry Vanderpool has been a beekeeper for 25 years in the south hills of Salem, Oregon. Vanderpool Farms is now a family operation providing pollination services and farm direct honey. Harry has served as Vice President and President of the Willamette Valley Beekeepers Association and Vice President and President of the Oregon State Beekeepers Association, and enjoys working with stakeholders and sometimes conflicting agricultural sectors in a balanced manner to find solutions that will offer meaningful pollinator protection strategies.
Listen in to learn Harry’s effective communication methods, how he builds bridges with others in agriculture, and what he’s done for pollinators in the PNW.
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“We’re really all working hard and trying to make a living at the same time, and working together is the answer to that.” – Harry Vanderpool
Show Notes:
- How Harry learned to communicate with growers who use pesticides with his bees
- ‘Christmas tree honey’ and why it attracts honeybees
- The key for Harry in developing good relationships with pesticide applicators
- How to help crop producers understand the role bees play and how it will help them
- How Harry further develops the partnership between his bees and the growers
- Why it’s important that ‘pollination services’ are provided instead of renting the hives
- The way Harry helps others use resources to prevent bee poisoning with pesticides
- What resources Harry has provided to crop consultants, growers, and beekeepers in the Pacific Northwest, and how it has affected pollinator health
“There’s no easy money in agriculture, and banging your fist on the table and pointing your finger will put walls up. I want to build bridges.” – Harry Vanderpool