Ever heard of urban beekeeping? Environmental organizations in Pittsburgh are bringing urban hives to the city for the amazing reason of supporting struggling bee populations and benefiting the environment. A happy secondary reason is local honey and beeswax! Here are four local apiaries that are making a buzz in Pittsburgh.
Burgh Bees
This nonprofit, founded in 2009, has a mission to introduce beekeeping to our urban areas in order to promote bees and ultimately benefit the environment. Burgh Bees educates Pittsburgh locals on beekeeping through seminars and mentorship programs. If you’ve ever considered housing your own hive, this organization will help you do it. They also are engaged with school students through field trips.
Burgh Bees offers beginner beekeeping classes twice per year. The non-profit also offers “Open Apiary” tours for a closer look at the hive once per month.
You can also support the organization by purchasing local honey at the Firehouse Farmers Market in the Strip District. They harvest in July and October (and their honey is a hot commodity), so order early if you can.
Apoidea
Apoidea is an urban apiary that offers artisan honey made 100% from their local hives. The organization has 40-60 hives at eight different outyards in the Greater Pittsburgh area. In addition to honey, they provide consultative services for bee-friendly landscaping design.
Shop Apoidea honey online to be picked up in the Pittsburgh area. They have gift baskets that are perfect for the honey in your life (or just a really great friend).
Bedillion Honey Farm
Bedillion Honey Farm started with one hive of bees in 2004. From there, the farm expanded to a family-run apiary offering pure honey and beeswax from local hives. They offer raw local honey, wax, honeycomb, gifts, and other sweet things at local shops or online. Bedillion also sells beekeeping supplies and beehive woodenware for those interested in beekeeping as a hobby.
Located in Hickory, PA, Bedillion is open on Saturdays and by appointment Monday through Friday.
Meadow Sweet Apiaries
Master Beekeeper Stephen Repasky is the owner of Meadow Sweet Apiaries, as well as the current President of Burgh Bees. This apiary specializes in producing local honey, honey bees and beeswax products.
Meadow Sweet Apiaries holds monthly meetings every month at the Fern Hollow Nature Center in Sewickley for those looking to get more involved. The meetings start with a beginner Q&A for those getting into beekeeping, with more detailed discussions on beekeeping practices afterward. You can also schedule a beekeeping consultation with the expert!
So whether you’re supporting urban beekeeping organizations by shopping at local apiaries, taking beekeeping lessons, or becoming a master beekeeper yourself, we’re loving the buzz that apiaries are bringing to the Burgh.
This content was provided by a local, independent contributor to Made in PGH, a lifestyle blog.