Urban Bee is all the buzz

Bee and honey farm on the Saanich Peninsula is a dream come true.

“Ten years ago, I started beekeeping and I started a business in Vancouver called Urban Bee Supplies, selling beekeeping supplies, teaching classes and selling honeybees.

The business grew quickly. I began consulting for large U.S. beekeeping operations, teaching at the American Beekeeping Federation and consulting the Canadian Senate on honeybee health.

I really wanted to move home to Saanichton so I could raise our three kids in the same amazing town I grew up in, and be closer to my family. We decided to follow our dream and build a honey farm.

We took the plunge in March 2016, sold our house in Tsawwassen, bought a property on the Saanich Peninsula, and invested everything we had and then some – into our dream.

Everyone thought we were nuts, and we were. There’s a reason people don’t take risks like this. I cried a lot through this process, and wanted to quit on our dream, but my husband held our vision of what we wanted to build. We now sell locally produced honey, cropped and infused honeys, seasonal turkeys, chickens, pork and a load of other locally produced goodies.

We have a tasting bar so you can try all the honeys we offer. Lots of people come in and say “honey’s just honey”, but after they try a few, they understand the difference. Honey tasting is like wine tasting – there are so many different flavour notes and intensities.

Still to come are beautiful walking pollinator gardens with picnic tables for you to enjoy a freshly brewed coffee and honey treat. There’ll be animal pens so kids can check out the farm animals. Inside, we’ll have an observation hive where you can see the bees in action.

There’s a little something for everyone at the farm. This spring, we’ll have seed and bulb kits available so everyone can easily do their part to help feed the bees. We’ll also sell packaged honey bees and nucleus colonies – available for local beekeepers.”

6440 West Saanich Rd.