Bring the Magic of Beekeeping to your own Backyard

There’s something really special about watching honeybees. The way they gather at the entrance of their hive – some leaving, some returning, some resting, all communicating. You can focus on each individual bee with their specific role, playing their own part to work cohesively as a unit towards a shared, unspoken, but well understood mission. Or you can focus on the cluster itself moving in its predictably unpredictable way, like watching the flames of a fire.It draws you in. It’s peaceful. It’s therapeutic. It’s one of the things that makes me most proud about what we are doing at Seaside Honeybees. We’re sharing this unique experience and helping people connect with nature through honeybees. An unexpected reward I receive from doing this work is witnessing the joy that it brings people. It warmed my heart when I saw chairs set up in front of one of our clients’ hives. I was touched when another sent a picture of the entrance to her hive with a note saying she was enjoying some “bee therapy”. I melted when a mother told me we would have helpers today, and brought out her twin 4 year old boys in mini bee suits.

The feedback and questions I get from people reinforces that what we are doing is important. We are doing more than just caring for bees. We’re providing a service that brings people joy, and educating them along the way. Our detailed reports that follow each hive visit provide fascinating insight into the inner workings of the hive. Honeybees have gained a lot of attention in recent years, which has sparked a widespread interest in and curiosity about beekeeping. This new awareness has done wonders to support beekeepers and promote better care for our pollinators. While many people love the idea of beekeeping, it can seem overwhelming in practice. Seaside Honeybees makes it easy, and you can choose to be as hands on or hands off with the hive as you would like. We’ll be your beekeepers indefinitely, or until you’re ready to take over. All the honey we’re able to harvest from the hive on your property belongs to you, and the harvesting is included as part of our service. When you sign up with us, you’ll be getting the most local honey you could ask for. Honeybees fly around 3 miles to get the food they need, so you know your honey is from nectar within this small radius. If this experience sounds appealing to you, don’t hesitate to reach out with your questions. We help people in a range of situations, from having their own equipment and bees, to just having some equipment, to being completely brand new to the concept. You may have considered getting honeybees, but maybe don’t know where to start or don’t have the time. Either way, we’re here to help! Join the Seaside Honeybees family in 2022. We’re taking clients now for the spring, and spaces are limited.

Jessy O’Keefe is the owner and founder of Seaside Honeybees, a beekeeping management company that installs and maintains hives for residences, businesses, and schools. She’s been a professional beekeeper since 2013 and has managed hundreds of hives over the years. Seaside Honeybees offers a full service beekeeping experience, complete with education and care for these important pollinators. Visit seasidehoneybees.com for more information.