Arcadia Rocks DC Honeybees

Arcadia Center For Sustainable Food and Agriculture is an organic farm that is the brainchild of Neighborhood Restaurant Group’s leader, Michael Babin.  Babin, the culinary prodigy behind such local favorites as Birch & Barley, Churchkey, Tallula and The Evening Star Café, has partnered with The National Trust For Historic Preservation to locate his farm at the historic Woodlawn Plantation near Mount Vernon in Alexandria.  A great article from The Washington Post about the initiative is linked here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/14/AR2010121403386.html

 with a gallery here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/gallery/2010/12/14/GA2010121402809.html

Their blog is located here:
http://arcadiafarms.blogspot.com/

Michael is joined by Farm Manager Maureen Moodie and Executive Director Erin Teal Littlestar in the non-profit project, which funds its operation through donations, sale of produce, compost, and soon: HONEY!

I read the article about Arcadia in the Post and reached out to Erin and Maureen immediately to see if they needed any pollinators to support their operation.  I thought I could convince them to install one or two hives as a trial run.  Little did I know of their own personal interests in the movement, and their intent to harvesting local honey.

Five hives.  Yes five.  And Michael has indicated that he’d like to expand above that if it makes sense.  This is precisely the kind of partnering DC Honeybees has been looking for, and their timing is perfect for a spring installation.

Stay tuned for more information on our progress.  This should make for some fun videos this coming May!!  I better start building….

Jeff.