Welcome to the Apiary
The Champlain Apiary was established in the Spring of 2013 to provide experiential learning opportunities for our students and community members and to support the college’s commitment to sustainability.
This living laboratory gives us a window into the fascinating lives of a uniquely social organism that teaches us about the intricacies of group decision-making, communication, and community. At a time when both feral and managed bee populations are in decline, our bees benefit Champlain’s campus and the surrounding landscape through the pollination services they provide.
Thank you to the many faculty, staff, students, and community members who have supported the apiary and special thanks to the Class of 2013 for making this endeavor possible.
Commitment to Sustainability
The apiary supports Champlain’s commitment to sustainability by:
- Sharing valuable campus space to house the bees, which will in turn support the surrounding ecosystem.
- Enhancing the current curriculum by giving students the opportunity to experience and interact with an organism that humans are intimately dependent upon, yet rarely consider.
In a way, the apiary expands our collective consciousness, making us aware and appreciative of the interconnectivity that supports us.
Local Honey Products for Sale
In addition to experiencing the bees through their biology and role in the ecosystem, bee products (honey, wax, pollen, propolis, even the bees themselves) provide a unique opportunity for students in business and marketing to create a profitable endeavor out of the apiary. The honey produced by our bees is bottled and marketed by our students, and all proceeds benefit the educational mission and material support of the apiary.
Purchase HoneyVisiting the Apiary
Located behind Perry Hall, the apiary is open for organized tours at various times from May through September.
If you would like to bring your class to the apiary, or involve the apiary in your course or program curriculum, contact Apiary Manager, Kristin Wolf.
Bee-ing Educated
Concept
One of the primary goals of the Champlain Apiary is to educate students through integrative experiential learning. Before the apiary was even established, Professor Jay McKee’s marketing students were brainstorming what a live honey operation out of Champlain’s back yard might look like.
Reflection
Once the apiary was up and running, Professor Rob William’s COR 130 Summer Bridge students gathered around the hives as they pondered the question “What do human and bee communities have in common?” The Champlain Apiary soon became an epicenter for enriched conversations and learning opportunities.
Education
Champlain courses such as SCI 210: Fundamentals of Ecology, COR 230: Ethics and the Environment, ENP 100: Intro to Environmental Issues, and COR 120: Concepts of Community have all used the campus apiary in their lesson plans. Professors love the hands-on learning it provides for their students.
Office of Sustainability
Location
Skiff Annex, Room 203
163 South Willard Street, Burlington, VT 05401
163 South Willard Street, Burlington, VT 05401
Office Hours
Tuesday – Friday
11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Email us to set up a meeting outside of the academic year
11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Email us to set up a meeting outside of the academic year