Hives For Heroes

06/01/2026

This weekend at the Heartland Apicultural Society Conference in East Lansing, Michigan, Hives for Heroes had the opportunity to connect with beekeepers from across the region, share our mission, and spend time with an incredible community that is passionate about education, mentorship, and service.

A special thank you to Niki Backes and Levi Harmon of Harmony Hives for representing alongside us throughout the event. Their support, dedication, and commitment to helping others made a tremendous impact.

We were also proud to officially announce Niki as the Hives for Heroes State Leader for Michigan. Her passion for beekeeping, dedication to service, and commitment to building community make her a perfect fit for this role. We are excited to see her help grow the Hives for Heroes mission and support Veterans, First Responders, and beekeepers across the state.

Thank you to our friend Tom Montavon of B & L Plastics for helping make our presence at HAS possible.

And thank you to everyone who stopped by our table, shared your experiences, asked questions, and spent time with us throughout the weekend. We are grateful for the conversations, connections, and opportunity to share the Hives for Heroes mission with such an outstanding beekeeping community.

🐝

05/31/2026

Big shoutout to our Georgia team for an incredible day at the Georgia Honey Bee Festival! 🐝

Georgia State Coordinator Laura Polley shared some wonderful moments from the event, including Marcus of Bee Pimp’N doing an outstanding job representing Hives for Heroes at the booth and helping introduce attendees to our mission.

Laura also shared a photo of some of her NewBees, Casey Marsh, Jacob, and Katie, spending time together, learning, building friendships, and growing their confidence as beekeepers. The relationships formed through mentorship often become just as meaningful as the beekeeping skills themselves.

Thank you to Laura, Marcus, and the entire Georgia team for the time, energy, and heart you pour into supporting Veterans, First Responders, and their families. We are grateful for all you do to help strengthen both our beekeeping community and our mission. ❤️🐝

Honeybee Festival - LaFayette, GA

FirstResponders

05/31/2026

Day 1 at HAS 2026 ✔️🐝

Great people, great conversations, and plenty of bee talk. We’re proud to represent Hives for Heroes in East Lansing and connect with beekeepers from across the region who share a passion for bees, mentorship, and community.

The vendors have been incredible, so be sure to take time to visit their booths, check out their products, and connect with the people helping support and grow our beekeeping community.

If you’re attending the conference, stop by and see us! We’ll be here from 8:00 AM to 2:45 PM and would love to meet you.

05/29/2026

R.E.D. Friday ❤️
Remember Everyone Deployed.

This week we are heading to Arkansas with Hives for Heroes State Leader Matthew Kasinger, who helps lead the mission across Arkansas and Missouri, pictured here spending time with Bill.

Every Friday, we wear red as a reminder.

A reminder of the men and women still serving far from home. The missed dinners, birthdays, holidays, and everyday moments that happen while they continue to answer the call.

It is also a reminder of why community matters.

Whether it is under a tent at a bee event, beside a hive, or through a simple conversation, connection has a way of reminding people they are seen, valued, and supported.

Thank you to Matthew, Bill, and everyone in this hive who continues showing up for those who serve, those who have served, and those still waiting to come home.

People first. Bees always. ❤️

05/28/2026

Waiting to get paired with a mentor? Got questions? Want more community? Or maybe you just want to spend time with some people who get way too excited about bees? 🐝❤️

Join us for Heroes Hangout!

Our weekly Heroes Hangout is open to EVERYONE in the Hives for Heroes community. Whether you are brand new, waiting on pairing, already matched with a mentor, or have been keeping bees for years, we want you there.

Seriously… don’t just wait around for an email. Come bee a part of the hive.

Heroes Hangout is one of the best ways to:
• Meet other Veterans, First Responders, mentors, and members from across the country
• Ask questions and learn in real time
• Swap tips, stories, wins, mistakes, and “what are my bees even doing?!” moments
• Stay connected while waiting for pairing
• Build friendships and community beyond the hive boxes

And mentors… we need you there too. ❤️

If you are currently waiting to be paired with a NewBEE, Heroes Hangout is a great opportunity to jump in, answer questions, encourage someone who may still be waiting for a mentor in their area, and help make this community feel smaller and more connected. Sometimes a simple conversation can make a huge difference for someone trying to find their footing.

And even if you ARE paired already… keep showing up! Some of the best conversations happen when bee people get together and start nerding out over bees, equipment, honey flows, swarm stories, bad inspections, good inspections, and everything in between.

Also don’t forget to take advantage of ALL the other awesome opportunities Hives for Heroes offers:
🐝 Bee U scholarships and educational reimbursements
🐝 Bee More scholarships
🐝 Member discounts through our marketplace and partner vendors
🐝 Events and meetups
🐝 Tons of resources and support throughout the community

There is SO much more here than just mentor pairing.

So join a Zoom. Ask questions. Meet people. Get involved. Stay connected. Bee a part of something bigger. ❤️

People first. Bees always.

05/27/2026

Bee Honest… if your bees could leave you one review, what would it say? 😅

Would your colonies call you calm and dependable… or mention the fact that you’ve opened the hives 14 times this week “just to check”?

Drop your bees’ honest review of you below. ⬇️

05/25/2026

This Memorial Day, we are incredibly thankful for partners like Mann Lake who continue finding meaningful ways to support our mission and the Heroes we serve. ❤️🐝🇺🇸

Through Memorial Day, Mann Lake is donating 2% of sales to Hives for Heroes®, helping us continue supporting Veterans, Service Members, and First Responders through beekeeping, mentorship, education, and community connection.

Partnerships like this help create opportunities for healing, purpose, and belonging in communities across the country.

Thank you, Mann Lake, for standing beside this mission and the people behind it.

People first. Bees always.

Happy Memorial Day to our incredible community.

Thank you to the veterans who gave everything for our freedom.

We are grateful to partner with Hives for Heroes to support the amazing work they do for veterans and beekeepers alike. 🐝

Today, 2% of sales will be donated to Hives for Heroes to support their mission.

Visit: https://hivesforheroes.org/ to learn more about the amazing work they do.

05/23/2026

This Memorial Day weekend, we remember the brave men and women who never made it home.

And we honor those who did come home carrying battles many of us could never fully understand.

For some, the war did not end when the deployment did.

This Holiday Weekend we remember the fallen, the missing, and the lives lost long after the uniform came off. We honor the families, the friends, and the loved ones who carry those memories every single day.

May we never forget the cost of freedom, both seen and unseen. 🇺🇸

Gone, but never forgotten.