A Taste of Honey

Born and raised in Windsor, Ontario, Leslie always yearned to live in nature. “Even as a child, I was always in the woods near our home in South Windsor,” she says.

Decades later, when an opportunity arose to pursue a dream of running a bed and breakfast in bucolic Essex County, Leslie and her husband, Bob, grabbed it with both hands.  In 2019, they renovated an old farmhouse to accommodate guests. A few years later, they made the decision to take up beekeeping.

“I’d always had this fascination with bees. And now I have a way to embrace my passion.” 

Renovating the farmhouse and cultivating the surrounding land was a huge undertaking for the couple, who did every inch of the work themselves.

“It’s been very gratifying,” says Leslie of the whole project, especially turning the one-time hayfield behind their home into a five-acre meadow filled with pollinator-friendly gardens. 

Bees are pollinators that we cannot live without, says Leslie. They are vital in balancing the earth’s ecosystem and food crops.

"When Bob and I walk into the meadow and see all the bees at work on native plants that we planted, I know we’re doing our small part for them and the earth.”

Walnut Grove is named as such on account of the nearly 400 walnut trees that grow on Leslie and Bob’s land.

The bed and breakfast offers three charmingly appointed rooms and heartfelt meals comprised of ingredients sourced from local farmers and growers. Homemade walnut and maple syrup are abundant, as is honey, of course!

Most recently, Leslie and Bob gained their pollinator stewardship certification from Pollinator Partnership Canada, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the protection and promotion of pollinators, which gave them a better understanding of native bee needs.

They have added a pollinator tour to the list of things guests can do at Walnut Grove, with a portion of proceeds going back to the organization. 

For many guests, a two-hour wander through this heavenly slice of Carolinian Forest is a way to unwind from life’s frenetic pace. Slowing down enough to take notice and appreciate the earth’s tiniest and most impactful creatures can be a humbling meditation for us all. 

“Our goal is to teach people that these little bees aren’t just a bug and that they play a really important role in our survival,” says Leslie.

“If we can send our guests home with a little bit of knowledge, and maybe even the interest to start a pollinator garden of their own, no matter how small, we’re making a difference.”