The Sweet Life

vistas and rejuvenating spa treatments might be what PGA National Resort is known for, but alongside the fairways and flowering landscapes lives another thriving community: honey bees. And they're more important than you might think.

Globally, bees, along with other pollinators, are responsible for pollinating roughly one-third of the food we eat. In fact, about 75% of the world's food crops depend at least in part on pollination. Apples, almonds, blueberries, squash, coffee, cacao, and thousands of other crops rely on bees to transport pollen from flower to flower. Without them, your grocery store's produce section would be a lot smaller, and a lot less colorful and nutritious. Bees also support biodiversity, strengthen ecosystems and contribute to the stability of entire landscapes.

Unfortunately, bees face a lot of challenges in today's world. Habitat loss, pesticides, parasites, climate change and monoculture farming have all contributed to a steady and alarming decline in bee populations.

That's why sustainability efforts at places like PGA National Resort matter.

Living in hives tucked within the resort's lush grounds are thousands of bees, cared for by professional beekeeper Sierra Malnove. Far from easy, the colonies take constant care and monitoring and a deep understanding of bee behavior.

"A healthy hive doesn't happen by accident," she says. "Every hive is different. Part of the challenge, and the joy, is learning to work with the bees rather than against them."

Her work focuses on the delicate nature of the resort's European honey bee genetics, the health of the queen, workers and brood, and careful preparation for seasonal honey flows. The bees' success is also a result of their environment.

PGA National is a literal buffet for pollinators," Malnove says. "The beauty that welcomes guests to the resort — the diverse flowers, trees and native plantings — is exactly what allows our bees to thrive."

The result is honey that reflects its surroundings, and offers a bounty of delicious and diverse benefits for resort guests. Seasonal shifts change the honey's flavor, color and aroma in subtle ways that are unique to the property. This just-harvested honey is used throughout the resort in culinary delights, unique cocktails and soothing spa treatments — a luxurious expression of sustainability in action.

Sierra Malnove didn't set out to become a professional beekeeper. A mother homeschooling her three children in Boca Raton, she originally wanted backyard chickens to complement her garden, but local rules prohibited them. Enter bees, which were allowed. She started with a single hive and was soon captivated.

"The minute I opened the hive, I was grounded in space and all of my stresses dissolved," she says.

Her passion grew into queen rearing and commercial pollination work in California almond orchards and Maine blueberry fields before she found her calling caring for bees that truly "get to live their best lives" at PGA National. She cherishes her role as beekeeper and advocate for a more sustainable future.