BERLIN — The Ocean Pines Farmers & Artisans Market recently introduced Buzzy, its new honeybee mascot.
Buzzy is the newest addition to the market’s family friendly atmosphere. The huggable bee strolls the marketplace and engages with shoppers.
“Buzzy will also take part in activities at the Kids’ Market Zone and sometimes join resident chef Maggie Hearn in the market’s open-air kitchen,” Janice Curtis, director of marketplace features, said.
Portraying Buzzy is Jaya Shaub, a ninth-grade student at Sussex Tech High School in Georgetown, Del. Shaub received the English Language Department’s award for the 2018/2019 school year and inspires to be an author and physical therapist.
The oversized yellow and black striped bee costume was gifted to the Ocean Pines Farmers & Artisans Market by Stag Run Farm, a year-round merchant at the market also based in Georgetown. With an extensive apiary, Stag Run Farm has hives that pollinate all its various crops. They also offer their Chrissy Bee’s Honey at the market.
“Buzzy and his friends are very important to the pollination of all our crops, including our apple and peach tree orchards,” Craig Brady, beekeeper and co-owner of Stag Run Farm, said.
Bees like Buzzy are members of the genus Apis, the classification for the honeybee. There are more than 20,000 known species of bees, worldwide.
“By introducing Buzzy, we are hoping to encourage conversations between our youngest shoppers and their parents about the importance of pollinators to the foods we eat,” Market Manager David Bean said.
The Ocean Pines Farmers & Artisans Market runs Wednesdays, through Aug. 28, and Saturdays, year-round, at White Horse Park on 235 Ocean Parkway in Ocean Pines. Market hours are 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.