For most of us, the buzz from a beehive is a warning. To Caitlin Rose Kenney, however, it’s Zen. A year ago, the 26-year-old yoga instructor opened Boulder Bee Yards, a small apiary in Fourmile Canyon, as a therapeutic retreat. “The practice of being observant and slow tunes you into the subtleties of yourself and the bees, and you get to this very centered, quiet state,” says Kenney, who learned beekeeping from a friend. (Kenney recently moved to New York City but will remain involved in the apiary.) From May to September, when bees are busy making honey, up to four people at a time are led on appointment-only tours of the two- to three-hive operation (protective jackets and veils are provided). By observing the colonies at work—listening for the distinct sounds of the female workers and male drones—Kenney hopes visitors remain mindful while gaining appreciation for the bees and their work. If that doesn’t do it, tasting honey straight from the comb surely will.

(Read more about bees in our feature on urban homesteading, “Backyard Bounty“)

5280 May 2015
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