The Great Sunflower Project

We are excited to begin a new year. We look forward to new seeds to plant, new gardens in the works, new observations and new insights. 2012 marks the fourth year for the Great Sunflower Project, and we are looking forward to having YOU be a part of it.

We would like to extend our deepest thanks to those of you who observed last year and sent in your data – you continue to make our project a success. And those who haven’t sent in your data or just joined up are encouraged to start planning now for a new year.

This year, we are introducing another way for you to join with us to help: If you are a garden educator, a community organizer, a garden club member, activity leader, work with groups, or are just plain interested in helping the Great Sunflower Project in a bigger way, we invite you to join The Garden Leader Project .

Here’s how it works: You sign up to be a Garden Leader, and agree to plant Lemon Queen Sunflowers in at least 3 locations which you register on the site. You will be responsible for the care of the sunflowers until they are blooming and ready for bees. Then you will organize at least 3 other people or groups to do at least one bee visit count at each location. Send in data from your locations. Win prizes! Here’s what you get:

- All Garden Leaders who sign up before April 2 will receive FREE SEEDS. That’s right, free Lemon Queen Sunflower seeds, but only to those who register.
- PRIZES. We are awarding one cash prize of $500 to your group and dozens of other prizes from gardening equipment to textbooks, to calendars and note cards.
- SATISFACTION in knowing that you helped pollinator conservation in your area.

Stay tuned for more details, and watch our web site for sign-up forms and a list of prizes. If you have questions, send them to "savebees@gmail.com" (not by replying to this email).

We’re excited about 2012 and are looking forward to a year full of learning, observation and fun!

All the best,

Freddy B