Pollination is critical for food production—about 35% of the world’s food crops depend on animal pollinators, according to the USDA. And while honey bees get most of the attention, California’s native bees play an equally essential role in keeping our orchard fruitful.

When you walk through the orchards at Frog Hollow Farm, you might notice something a little different from the surrounding farmland. Many of our neighbors grow large blocks of single crops using conventional methods, where bare soil and chemical sprays are the norm—often leaving little food or habitat for pollinators.

We’ve been working for over a decade to foster native bee populations through on-farm habitat, collaborating closely with the UC Berkeley Urban Bee Lab. With their help, we’ve planted dozens of flowering species across 20 acres—including wildflowers like phacelia and California poppy, and perennials like sage, ceanothus, and vitex. These plants feed and shelter native bees while also helping us conserve water and protect the soil. Our plantings are chosen for drought tolerance, resilience to farm conditions, and their ability to thrive without added inputs.

When we first partnered with the Bee Lab, only about 20 native bee species had been observed on the farm. Today, more than 50 have been documented, including Andrena bees, which are especially good at pollinating our cherries. Honey bees benefit, too—the same flowering edges and corridors support their health and pollination efforts.

We’ve become a kind of pollinator island. Many native bees have small foraging ranges, so urban and suburban gardens are critical for building pollinator corridors. Whether you grow a pot of bee-friendly blooms on a balcony or plant native hedgerows in a backyard, every action counts. If you're in the Bay Area and want to help, visit  www.helpabee.org to find regionally appropriate plants to grow at home. Together, we can create landscapes—rural and urban—that support the pollinators we all depend on.