Kimmel Orchard Beekeeping
Buzz into Beekeeping: A Hands-On Hive Adventures for Curious Families & Classes!
Get suited up and step into the amazing world of honey bees! Perfect for families and class groups, this one-of-a-kind hands-on experience lets you explore a real hive, watch bees in action, try finding the queen, and even taste fresh honey from the hive!
Learn how bees work together, why pollinators matter, how honey is made, and how you can help them at home. There are three types of tours offering fun and fascinating ways to connect with nature, great for curious kids and adults alike!
Set up your educational bee tours today at Kimmel Orchard & Vineyard in Nebraska City!
[Register here]
Option 1: Explore Beekeeping Experience Tour
This hands-on adventure begins with an introduction to the fascinating world of honey bees, where you'll suit up in protective gear and step into the apiary for an up-close look at a working hive. As we explore the hive, you'll witness thousands of bees in action, tending to brood, storing nectar, and communicating through their mesmerizing dances.
Along the way, you’ll learn about hive dynamics, the vital role of pollinators, and sustainable beekeeping practices. You'll even get a chance to spot the queen and experience the hum of the colony firsthand!
This exploratory beekeeping experience will give you a rare opportunity to work closely with experts and gauge whether you might be interested in becoming a beekeeper yourself. For those who want to take their learning even further, we'll discuss more opportunities to sustain your learning interest. and ways to support pollinators in your own backyard.
When: Thursdays or Fridays (April-Oct) from 10:00am - 12:00pm
Cost: $20/person (*group rates available upon request)
Total time of tour: 1.5 - 2 hours
Option 2: Honey Extraction & Tasting Experience Tour
Step into the sweet side of beekeeping with a behind-the-scenes look at the honey extraction process! This interactive tour takes you from hive to jar as you explore how raw honey is harvested and processed. You'll start by learning how beekeepers remove and transport honey from hives. Watch as golden honey flows from the combs, ready to be bottled and enjoyed. Discover the fascinating science behind honey production and where honey gets its unique color and flavors. Best of all, you'll get to taste different types of honey as well as fresh, raw honey straight from the comb, an experience you won’t forget!
When: Thursdays or Fridays (April-Sept) from 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Cost: $10/person (*group rates available upon request)
Total time of tour: 45 - 60 minutes
While you're here, explore Kimmel Orchard & Vineyard’s full range of farm tour opportunities:
Option 3: Observation Hive Tour Activity (* added to a Kimmel Farm Tour):
Enhance your Kimmel farm tour experience with our optional indoor Observation Hive. Safely view a live honey bee colony up close through glass, and watch bees communicate, build comb, and care for their queen. It’s a captivating, hands-on glimpse into the secret life of bees, buzzing with learning and wonder!
Or we come to you!
Classroom and formal outreach requests
The Bee Lab team of experts help provide a variety of education offerings to our local community, schools, and other educational organizations to provide targeted education that focus on bees, pollinators and conservation science literacy for any audience, from Pre-K to professional seminar presentations. Classes, organizations or groups may request tabling materials to supplement their event or instructional lectures and demonstrations with live bees (either in an observation hive or with an exploratory experience in the beeyard), wild bees, and honey extraction & tasting, educational interactive activities/games and so much more. Presentation topics include pollinator conservation, managed and wild bee biology, bee life cycles, superorganisms and social behaviors, pollinator-friendly habitats and landscape practices, however, topics may be customized for the audience and learning focus. Requests may accommodate short events (1-3 hours) or longer (full or multiple day) events.
Interested in Requesting Our Educators?
Please fill out our survey to schedule and match our materials with your goals.