It seems like all we hear lately is bad news.
Alberta hasn’t been immune, with prolonged drought, soaring temperatures, a record number of wildfires and a smoke-covered summer. It felt like we were stuck in a dystopian horror movie.
Yet amidst all the craziness, two agricultural triumphs emerged in 2023: a buzzing increase in honey production and a robust harvest of potatoes.
A Honey of a Year
After grappling with severe colony losses due to extreme winter cold snaps and mite infestations in the recent past, Alberta’s beekeepers finally have something to smile about.
2023 saw a sweet increase in honey production, soaring to nearly 37 million pounds, a 24 percent jump from the previous year.
This honey surge is attributed to the warm, mild spring and hot, prolonged summer, ideal conditions for bees to thrive and produce honey.
Craig Toth, president of the Edmonton and District Beekeepers Association, summarizes, “When the colonies are really hot, the queen inside the colony is laying more brood…if you get the hot days where the bees can do lots of flying, you’re going to get lots of honey.”
Despite some regional variations in production due to drought, the overall picture for honey producers is one of recovery and growth.
Beekeepers like Bridget Reschke of St. Albert-based Reschke Honey Farms have noticed a shift in consumer behaviour since COVID, with more people opting to buy locally. Beekeepers are also retaining more money in their pockets by selling directly to consumers.
The touted health benefits associated with honey also resulted in higher sales helped by increased production.
Rob Roach, deputy chief economist at ATB Financial, noted that Alberta, responsible for two-fifths of Canada’s honey supply, recorded $106 million in honey sales in 2023, the highest since records began in 1924.
After years of recording hive die-offs and low honey production, the industry is finally buzzing.
The hot summer forecast for 2024 looks favourable for more of the same.
Alberta’s Potato Boom
Potato farmers in Alberta have also had their share of success.
With a harvest of three billion pounds of potatoes, the province even outdid Prince Edward Island, Canada’s renowned potato hub.
Terence Hochstein, executive director of the Potato Growers of Alberta, explains this growth, “The production is starting to shift from the east to the west.”
This bumper crop is mainly due to increased planting and warmer, more favourable weather conditions for growing.
While most of Alberta grappled with drought, potato acres, mostly under irrigation, escaped the brunt of the drought impacts.
Whether potato producers can maintain irrigation levels needed for high production in 2024 remains to be seen as the province is setting caps on how much water can be used for irrigation in light of the prolonged drought.
Farmers like Alison Davie of North Paddock Farms in Taber, despite facing water cutbacks, managed an “above average” yield.
She signalled the determination of Alberta’s farmers, “You just have to roll with it, and whatever Mother Nature deals us, you just have to make the best of it.”
This resilience is paying off, with the industry showing promising growth prospects.
In a year fraught with environmental challenges, Alberta has not only sustained but also enhanced its agricultural prowess.
With a shift in climate, some producers are moving away from traditional crops to crops that thrive in heat and can handle drier conditions.
From the sweetness of honey to the earthy goodness of potatoes, Alberta’s farmers have transformed potential adversity into a story of success and hope.
Anyone up for some honey-crusted french fries?
