Urban Apiary Partners

The Beez Kneez partners with Twin Cities restaurants, food co-ops, universities, and green buildings to bring honey bee hives to the city. In 2021, we have 5 such host sites- wonderful, excited, passionate folks with an interest in bees and the connections they bring to education, our food system, the environment. Each host site is unique- and, in having a diversity of partners, we have had the opportunity to co-develop a number of different models for incorporating the hives into the goals of the organizations like creating pollinator friendly landscapes and planning events. We’re so excited to grow these partnerships.

Honey-Apolis Wildflower #55105

St. Catherine's University

In 2016 St. Catherine University, led by the Biology Department and BioClub, partnered with us to install 2 honey bee hives on the GreenRoof located at the south end of Fontebonne Hall. AS a result of our partnership, we have designed an immersive summer bio-course for college students Called Healthy Bees Healthy lives to learn more not only about the biology of bees but about out efforts to protect all pollinators. They even installed a bee cam to watch the bees come in go! Click here to check it out        

Honey-apolis Wildflower #55409

Seward Community Co-op friendship Store

We have two sites sponsored by the Seward Community co-op who's mission is Equitable economic relationships; Positive environmental impacts; Inclusive, socially responsible practices.

Both stores sell our honey and they have been strong supporters of the Healthy Bees healthy lives advocacy campaign since its inception.  the support of the food co-ops has been instrumental on the success of our work.

Honey-apolis Wildflower #55406

Seward Community Co-op Franklin Store

Honey-apolis Wildflower 55416

The Bakken Museum

Did you know bees use static electricity to gather pollen? One of our very first Urban apiary partners, The Bakken Museum is a wonderful place to learn more about the history of electricity and much more.

Since 1975,  They have been committed to nurturing a passion for science in visitors from around the world. Founded by Earl Bakken, a Minneapolis native and co-founder of Medtronic, The Bakken Museum offers something for everyone.

Honey-Apolis Wildflower #55407

Greenway BuilDing Hiawatha

AS A PEDAL-powered beekeeping organization, it was an obvious fit for us to partner with Wellington Management, the landlords of our pedal-powered coffee friends at Peace Coffee.  It is really amazing to visit these bees and see them feeding on the flowers that grow on the green roof! Imagine a world where all the building in an urban setting had such mutually beneficial relationships with the natural world!

The Greenway Office Building, purchased by Wellington Management, Inc. in 2009, epitomizes a "green" building both in design and location. The building includes a photo voltaic (solar) panel array to reduce electrical consumption, a geothermal heating/cooling system to reduce energy consumption, a green roof/rooftop garden and native prairie grass lawn to enhance rain water retention and eliminate the need for lawn irrigation. The building is ideally located for public transportation and access just a block from the light rail station at Lake and Hiawatha, bus routes along Lake Street and is situated adjacent to the Greenway Bike Commuter Path. Constructed to many of the design points of LEED (Leadership Energy Efficient Design) this Energy Star building hosts many non-profit and for profit tenants working toward better housing and a more energy independent tomorrow. To learn more about Wellington Management, Inc., and its vast portfolio