Only the dead know Brooklyn

            North Carolinian writer Thomas Wolfe said that 

“only the dead know Brooklyn.” 

I take this to mean that no matter how long you’re there, you can never fully comprehend all that the borough has to offer. I quote Thomas Wolfe because he is probably North Carolina’s most famous writer, but also because he went to UNC and used some of his time there to go to Brooklyn to advance his career. He and I are kindred spirits, separated by almost a century but both taken by the Tarheel zeal for intellectual pursuit to America’s greatest city.

            Of course Thomas Wolfe went on to publish many collections of short stories and influence countless future writers (including my best friend Maria, who earned the prestigious creative writing scholarship that bears his name), and I would lucky to achieve half his success. I hope that this research, modest as it will be, will investigate questions I have about urban food systems, community involvement in food, and the public’s blooming interest in their under-credited pollinators. I hope that this project answer those questions, but more importantly, lead to many more questions. It is important that we never stop looking for more questions to answer and that we keep open minds to everything; after all, it’s because of questions and open minds that millions of bees now call New York City home.