Morgan Freeman Converted His Mississippi Farm Into A Honeybee Sanctuary
Actor Morgan Freeman is doing his bit for the environment and nature as he has converted his 124-acre farm in rural Mississippi into a honeybee sanctuary.
Forbes explains that what started out as a hobby for the 81-year-old actor, has now turned into an enterprise. In 2014, Freeman was a guest on Jimmy’s Fallon’s The Tonight Show, discussing the importance of preserving the wild honeybees.
“There is a concerted effort for bringing bees back onto the planet … We do not realize that they are the foundation, I think, of the growth of the planet, the vegetation,” Freeman said.
Freeman explained that he imported 26 beehives from Arkansas to his ranch in Mississippi. There, Freeman works to feed the bees sugar and water and has assistance in planting bee-friendly magnolia trees, lavender, clover, and more. The actor states that he never wears a bee suit, and has never been stung.
The legendary actor states that he has no interest in harvesting honey, but he would just rather provide a sanctuary for the bees without disrupting their hives. Freeman is concerned about Colony Collapse Disorder, which is the primary cause of the decline in the bee population. Bees play a key role in pollination and are critical to the ecosystem.
Morgan Freeman Turns His 50-Hectare Ranch Into A Sanctuary To Save Bees – The Secrets Of Universe #reddebij https://t.co/Ef2SPFXn1e
— Arianne Ripmeester (@arianneripmees) July 19, 2019
As much as there are people who are eager to aid in the replenishment of the bee population, others continue to harm hives, reports Science Alert. In May, someone intentionally set fire to a group of hives in Brazoria County, Texas, killing over 500,000 bees in the process.
The local beekeepers’ association posted a message in the hope of catching the person or persons who committed the crime.
“Someone did major damage to a BCBA Bee Yard in Alvin last night. It’s bad enough to think in today’s world this would happen but dumping them over and then setting fire to them is beyond comprehension.”
More than 20 hives were destroyed, and it seems to be part of a pattern of beehive vandalism, which baffles the beekeepers and environmentalists. Hive vandalism has been documented in California, Iowa and now Texas, and authorities are noting that in most of the cases, the mostly young men have been charged with felonies, including Criminal Mischief, Agricultural and Animal Facilities Offenses, and Burglary.
In this case, arson is also a possible charge on the table, and an award is being offered in connection to any information which leads to an arrest and conviction.
