Every avo starts life as a tiny flower, and bees do a lot of the heavy lifting to get it there. Here’s what we learned when Hunt & Gather Bee Co. turned up mid-shoot in a flowering orchard.
Some of the best days aren’t the ones you plan. A few weeks back we headed out to one of the orchards we work with to film the launch video for the Orchard Pantry, our new shop for everything beyond the avos. We had a big old vintage cabinet set up right there among the trees. It’s spring, the avo trees are in full bloom, and the whole place was humming with bees.
Then Hunt & Gather Bee Co. pulled up to feed their hives. We didn’t know they were coming, and they didn’t know we’d be there. So we switched focus, got stuck in, and spent the next few hours learning a lot from them. Our videographer kept filming the whole time, with a mosquito net pulled over his head. Not exactly regulation beekeeping gear.
Every spring, when the avo trees flower, beekeepers bring their hives into orchards across the Bay of Plenty. For a few busy weeks the bees work the blossom, carrying pollen from flower to flower and tree to tree.
Avocado flowers are a bit fussy. Each one opens twice, first as female and later as male, and only for a few hours at a time. So the pollen has to be in the right place at exactly the right moment, and that’s where the bees come in.
Even then, only about 3 in every 1,000 flowers go on to become fruit. So every single visit counts. Next time you cut into an avo, there’s a good chance a bee had a hand in it.
What struck us most was how calm it all was. Nothing about looking after a hive is rushed. Lids come off gently, frames are lifted out one at a time, and every move is slow and deliberate so the bees stay settled.
The Hunt & Gather crew talked us through it as they went: checking on the colonies, making sure the bees had what they needed, and keeping an eye on how each hive was tracking. It’s patient, careful work, and you can tell they love it.
Standing in a flowering orchard with thousands of bees going about their business around you is pretty special. We’d recommend it.
A massive thank you to the team at Hunt & Gather Bee Co. for letting us tag along, answering all our questions, and sharing a bit of their world with us. And to the bees, for all the hard work that goes into every box we pack.
Hunt & Gather is a small, family-run beekeeping business based in Raglan, producing raw, award-winning honey from native New Zealand bush. We love giving a shoutout to local businesses doing great things, so go show them some love at huntandgatherbeeco.com.
We’ve got a feeling this won’t be the last you hear of this day. Watch this space.
When you choose your avocado box, simply select the subscription option.
From casual avo fan to daily devotee, pick the size, type and frequency that's right for you.
Hand-picked, never cool-stored, your avos are delivered at peak freshness. Pause, skip or change your order, anytime.
Enjoy exclusive subscriber pricing with 20% off orchard-fresh avocados, delivered straight from the tree to your toast.
