The Hives

Adopt-a-Hive! Lease a Beehive that will Live on your Property

Adopt-a-Hive! is an exciting initiative for homeowners on the South Shore of Nova Scotia. If you live within 100 kilometres of Lunenburg, you can lease a beehive that will live on your property. This is an incredible opportunity for you and your family to learn DSCF9216.jpgabout bees. As a “hive-minder”, you will contribute to the important work that bees do, and the hive will be a service to the environment and to the planet as a whole. Your family can learn a great deal while hosting a hive: about the habits of bees as they pollinate your vegetables and flowers while collecting nectar; about beekeeping while watching our workers maintain the hives; and about the invaluable role bees fill in the production of food and the health of the biosphere. Children will learn about caring for the planet in a unique way through the “adoption” of bees, which are an important measure of the health of our planet. Families are encouraged to watch us care for the hives, ask questions, take photographs, and become a part of the process of keeping bees. The number of hives may change over the course of your leasing experience: you could start with one hive, and if your property is well suited to beehives, more hives will be added over time.

The cost is $1350 per year, or less than $4 a day! Payment plans are available.

Hive Leasing: The Details

  • Your property will first be assessed to ensure that there is adequate sun, shelter, and a water source nearby. There is no guarantee that a hive will be placed on your property.
  • Properties in close proximity to farms that use pesticides are not suitable.
  • The number of hives kept on your property will change. Hive-minders must be flexible about the number of hives on their property so the apiary can be managed properly. There will be no additional cost to the hive-minder.
  • It is required that hive-minders not touch the beehives or the bees.
  • There can be little to no honey the first year since the bees are building their hive from scratch. Hive-minders will not own the honey from the hives but will be able to purchase the honey at a reduced rate.