Beelieving in pollinators

The Bee Shed products are also available at smaller, neighborhood grocers around the Rochester area as well as Spiral Food Co-op in Hastings, the People’s Food Co-Op and local gift shops. They create not only individual kinds of honey, but fl ights of honey to give as gifts.

Additionally, Schad said, they have a fairly large network of corporations who use their honey as holiday gifts for employees and guests. The Bee Shed has affi liations with roughly 15 coffee shops who use the honey in their coffees and teas and they’re working with some breweries who use their honey to make beer. Additionally, Schad said, they work with a meadery that uses their honey instead of grapes to make mead.

For Schad, it’s been a transition from a hobby he started back in 2012 keeping some bees, to running a full business – something he’s always wanted to do.

“I saw this as a challenge,” he said. The challenge has also come in the form of broader education. Schad and especially Shonyo spend a lot of time doing presentations for elementary schools and daycares. “We do a lot of educating and we get a lot of satisfaction around that,” Schad said. One or the other will often bring an observation hive with them where the bees are behind glass and people can watch them work. On a cool day Schad said guests can put their hand against the glass and feel the heat generated from the work.

They also see their job as advocacy, pushing everything from “No Mow May,” which allows pollinators time to emerge from their slumber, to advocating for reduced chemicals on home lawns to providing native plants so populations can thrive.

“Everybody loves honey bees and bumble bees,” Schad said. “But they should think twice before they spray. Bees are the canary in our coal mine and I think we need to make some changes.”

To that end, Schad and Shonyo provide beekeeper classes through community education such as a beginner beekeeping class which explains everything a hobbyist needs to know including cost, equipment and care. They also teach a full-day class on Beginning Bee Keeping in the Northern Climate, which is a more detailed how-to.

“We sell a great product and we make money at it but we also want to advocate for pollinators in general and doing something different for the eco system,” Schad said. “It’s an opportunity to educate and create awareness.”

On occasion, they host bee yard visits which they donate to non-profi ts to help raise funds during silent auctions. Schad is also a member of the University of Minnesota Extension Bee Squad and he teaches more experienced beekeepers there.

While working on advocacy, Schad and Shonyo are also working on the next thing for their business. They will attempt to craft a sixth variety of honey this season. For them, it’s all about the science combined with a little bit of art in the harvest. Their products range from a sunny yellow to a deep amber to the rich, thick darkness of the stout.

“We thought about these multiple seasons where we get these pulses of nectar,” Schad said.

And those lines, he said, are what sets the company apart.

Chris Schad checks through hives Aug. 24 at one of the hive sites around Olmsted County. They have around 190 colonies which is roughly 50,000 bees.

WE HAVE YOUR SILAGE SHEETING!

WE SPECIALIZE IN WIDE SHEETING 24’ up to 132’ wide poly IN STOCK

View our sizes on our website. We can order sheeting up to 200’ wide We carry Silage Bags from 6.5’ up to 14’ We carry Silage Bags from 6.5’ up to 14’ 320-333-9255 | www.bluelakeplastics.com