We have finished the 2023 season but will soon start scheduling tours for the 2024 season!!
Many of our patrons wish to learn more about bees, but do not have the time or space to start their own beehive. We have created this opportunity to be an exciting way for families, church youth / school groups, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Trail life and American Heritage Girls groups to get an up close and personal look at life and work of the beekeeper and the honeybee.
The tour lasts about 1 1/2 hours and consists of a 45 minute familiarization class on bees, beekeeping equipment, pollination and products from the bee hive. You will then suit up in one of our beekeeper's suits and watch as our beekeeper opens a live bee hive with the group. Participants will have the opportunity to hold a frame of live bees if they wish. Take as many pictures as your wish!
Tours are scheduled by reservation only.
We ask that all group tours have a minimum of 10 people, and the reservations must include ages and approx. suit sizes needed for the participants.
We do have "weebee" suits for the little ones, with our smallest suit about the size of a 4 year old.
No worries. We will have select dates for Family days, Homeschool days, Senior days and so on. Just email us with your information and we'll let you know the select Saturdays in May and June that we have set aside for these.
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Beekeeping tours are weather dependent, for obvious reasons. If it is raining heavily, we do not open hives! We may potentially reschedule your tour in the event of heavy rain.
Honey bees usually only sting to defend their hives, however, here are some basic considerations and rules of participation for your own safety:
Dress appropriately
Participants must wear pants and no open toed shoes (i.e. shorts and flip flops). Bee suits are sting resistant, not sting proof, and they do not cover your feet.
No perfumes
We recommend that on the day of the tour that you do not use perfume or strongly-scented products. The bees may think that you are a big flower and become personally interested in you!
No pets
We personally have one dog, three cats, too many chickens, and three sheep, so we like animals. But animals can be naturally curious and get stung, thus panicking and hurting other animals or little humans around them. Please be considerate of your pets safety and those around you and arrange for pet care before visiting the apiary.
Must sign an agreement
Each participant must sign (or their parents or legal guardian) a hold-harmless agreement that will be available at the apiary on the day of the tour or if need be, we can email the form to you for prior signatures. This agreement ensures that you or the parent / legal guardian understands the inherent risk around a working bee hive and we will not be held liable for bee stings, allergic reactions or unsafe behavior by participants of your tour as well as our right to refuse a participant a tour if we deem they are acting in a unsafe manner at the apiary and near the bee hives.
COST
Beekeeper's Experience $12.00/person for adults and children 4 and up
Candle making session is in addition to the Beekeeper's experience and is an additional $6.00/person. This session lasts approximately 30 minutes and includes making your own rolled beeswax candle, instruction on some of the other candles we make and produce and why beeswax candles are so unique, as well as a mini sample of our lotion bar. As time allows, we may also include a sampling of some of our specialty Creamed honeys available. NOTE: Some of our creamed honeys DO contain nuts.