The Mid-Ohio Farms are abuzz with new activity this summer thanks to honeybee hives! Bees support biodiversity and pollinate the farms’ many outdoor crops. Curious visitors have learned more about them through hands-on workshops and a new beekeeping apprenticeship.
“Honeybees are the vessel for many foods, including some of the produce grown at the Mid-Ohio Farms,” said Mid-Ohio Farm Education Coordinator Sean McKay. “Bees tie into our mission of building resilient food systems and educating our community.”
Luke Howard, founder of the bee collective, built and installed four honeybee hives (called Langstroth hives) at the Mid-Ohio Farm on the Hilltop and Mid-Ohio Farm at NBC4. Luke is the farms’ resident beekeeper. He teaches the beekeeping apprenticeship at the Mid-Ohio Farm on the Hilltop with Sean’s help.
The eight-session series has 13 novice beekeepers. After covering the basics in the first few sessions, students received free bee suits and learned how to build frames for the hives. The apprenticeship will wrap in the fall with a honey extraction festival to enjoy the fruits of their labor.
“What the bee collective and the Mid-Ohio Farm are doing here is creating a network of hobbyist beekeepers that we hope will continue this work in other community gardens. It’s the perfect solution for people who want to keep bees but don’t have land,” said Luke. “Bees are a vehicle for learning, but it’s also about people creating community and creating connections.”
