Build a Bee Space in Urbana

What’s a Bee Space? 

A Bee Space is a gathering place for discovering and celebrating honey bees and beekeeping. It is a center for learning about sustainable beekeeping, located in the heart of Urbana.

Recently, we acquired a six-car garage that is large enough to provide a classroom/meeting area for beekeeping education and activities such as honey extraction. This will be our Bee Space.

A teaching apiary will be located next to the Bee Space with an enclosed observation area. We are planning to install a BeeCam for virtual beekeeping.

Our Transformative Vision 

 At present, the six-car garage is just a garage. Transforming it into a Bee Space requires serious remodeling, including insulation and drywall. The walls need painting, and the cement floor needs to be cleaned and finished. Shelving, observation windows, and a conference/meeting area need to be installed. Remodeling is estimated at more than $25,000. 

For those who are interested in beekeeping, we are hoping to provide hands on guidance and mentoring. In short, we want to expand the idea of the hive to the community, bringing bees and humans together, working for the common good.

For those living in impoverished areas of Champaign County, where food usually comes from a can or plastic bag, we are hoping to expand understanding of the importance of the natural world in the food chain.

We are asking anyone who loves honey bees and honey to donate to help us turn this rough diamond into the Bee Space of our dreams, an educational center devoted to honey bees.

Your Support

Any donation that you can offer to get the Bee Space going is welcome. We are hoping that the community will see the value of a Bee Space as a model for sustainable and humane beekeeping.

As we set out to transform our garage into a Bee Space, we carry with us the strength, support, and love of everyone who believes in the power of a natural habitat. Your generous donations, no matter how small, will make a significant difference in our project.

Your support is not just financial; it's a statement that honey bees matter, and that together, we can support a beneficial, natural environment in Illinois.

Thank you for being a part of our story, for believing in the honey bees, and for helping us all fly towards a bright and natural future.

About us

We are Steve and Maggie, the beekeeping team at Second Nature Honey LLC, Champaign-Urbana’s beekeeping company. We've been keeping bees for over 15 years, and our 50 hives are sprinkled on small farms throughout Champaign County. We sell our pure, local honey at the Urbana Market on the Square. Thank you for joining us in our effort to help our honey bees and our community thrive.

Follow us on Facebook at Second Nature Honey:

https://www.facebook.com/secondnaturehoney

Disclaimer: No raffles, sweepstakes, giveaways, or returns on investment are offered in exchange for any donations made to this GoFundMe.