Living Systems Institute

I am a bit old fashioned. You can't order over the web. You have to call me (303-248-6677) or email me (dstudin@yahoo.com). I don't receive "texts". Let's make a human connection.

Honeybee Keep is dedicated to achieving an environmentally healthy honeybee population in the Denver Metropolitan area. We provide long-term placement, chemical-free honeybee management services for private parties, organic practice farms and organic practice community gardens. We do not treat our bees with any pesticide, acid or essential oil.

Honey extraction service in commercial kitchen, Denver

We will spin your honey for you.  Honeybee Keep has partnered with Denver Urban Homesteading to provide metro-area beekeepers extraction service.  Does it make sense that all of us duplicate this expensive equipment all over the city?  Why not share?  Spinning is $0.50 / pound and we keep the cappings.

Let us process your honey at DUH commercial kitchen, 200 Santa Fe Drive, Denver. Or sell us your honey, we will process it and sell it in the Denver Urban Homesteading Market.  We offer $2.50 / pound on honey still in the frames.  To make an appointment, call Don using the phone number to the right.

Beekeeping Classes, Denver

Don is offering classroom training on a limited basis upon request. 

For example, a class conducted in cooperation with Denver Urban Homesteading at 2nd and Santa Fe in Denver:  

Introduction to Beekeeping provides classroom time for participating students.  Follow the link to DUH to register.

A class offered at Living Systems Institute at 14020 W. 32nd Ave in Golden:

Introduction to Beekeeping provides classroom time for participating students.  None scheduled at this time.

Other offerings include:

Honeybee Candy for Winter Feeding:  a demonstration of making candy held at Denver Urban Homesteading Market. 

A peek at beekeeping ... a class intended for gardeners.  Let Don Studinski give you a look at some real bees through the window of our top-bar hive.  Don will explain the difference between a worker, a drone and a queen and how they all have to cooperate to have a healthy colony.  We'll talk about brood, eggs, larva, honey, pollen and take the time to answer your questions.  This is a "for fun" class meant for anyone with a modest interest in bees or other pollinators.  Beekeepers or potential beekeepers are certainly welcome, but the content of this class is not intended to get you up to speed on the art and science of beekeeping.  It's just for fun and to answer your questions.

If you want to arrange for a class for your club, civic organization or whatever, contact Don directly.  This requires at least a month of advanced planning.

Public Speaker:  Beekeeping, Denver

Many citizens are increasingly concerned about our honeybee population and, consequently, may be interested in learning more about honeybees and beekeeping.  Don offers a slide presentation giving a glimpse into the beekeeper's world.  The slide presentation can be adjusted from 30 minutes to 2 hours.  This frequently leads to lively question and answer from the audience.  If you would like Don to speak at your company, civic organization, club or neighborhood, please call. 

Don was the featured speaker for this Hearteye Village event.  Don was also the face of beekeeping for the Honey Festival at Denver Urban Homesteading Market in 2012 and again in 2013.

Don spoke to Boulder County Beekeeper's Association in September, 2012 about making Bee Candy.

Sherrelwood Elementary, October 2012
Enterprise Grange, 3/13/2013
Broomfield Public Library, 3/28/2013

In many cases, the organization requesting a speaker has an "honorarium" as compensation.  Typically, this is adequate.  Please refer to the consulting services section if you want some added insight.

Beekeeping Mentor Program, USA

Our year-round beekeeping mentor program gives beekeepers access to extensive on-line and hands-on education from beginning beekeeping through advanced topics.  This affordable alternative breaks the traditional mold of beekeeper education which brings students into a classroom for a few hours followed by a brief apiary visit, usually at around $25 per hour of training.  Instead, we provide on-going educational attention for a full year taking students through all aspects of beekeeping as tasks change from season to season for $500 / year ($400 for remote students).  Further, we provide unlimited access to consultation from a seasoned beekeeper, allowing students to get their specific questions answered as the questions arise.  Students also have access to hands-on one-on-one training and consultation on-site at their apiary for an additional hourly rate.  For all the details about the program, click here.

Can you see that the sign says "Stinging Insects Approach at your Own Risk"? The funny part is that I was so "in the zone" while extracting those bees, I had no idea someone was taking photos or anything.  Bobbi said there were MANY people crazy enough to walk up to see what I was doing.  It's a good thing she was there to direct traffic away.  I had no idea anyone approached.  It's so different when your head is sticking in a tree.

Beekeeping Consulting

Beekeeping consultation is available at your apiary, one-on-one, for $40 / hour, plus travel, depending on where you are located.  Typically, no added travel costs are involved in the Denver Metropolitan area.

Confused about how to do a "split" or how to prevent swarming?  Wondering what checker boarding is?  Hiring Don for one-on-one time can get these and many other questions answered at YOUR apiary manipulating YOUR hives.  Wondering if your hives are ready for Winter?  Is it "necessary" to split that colony?  Don can coach you though things getting YOUR hands on the frames.

Honeybee Swarm Retrieval

Honeybee Keep maintains a team of on-call beekeepers prepared for swarm collection throughout the honeybee swarming season, April through June in Colorado.  We can have a beekeeper on site for swarm removal within two hours, seven days each week.

This is GENERALLY a FREE service, however, there are exceptions.  You can help avoid a $50 roll charge by verifying that you are actually calling us about honeybees.  Pictures of honeybees are available here.

Pollination Service, Urban or Agriculture

For private party pollination services, we place hives on-site and they remain there year-round, for $150 / hive annually.  Clients enjoy the increased garden yield that honeybees produce and also get a portion of any honey (usually a quart, about 3 pounds) produced at their site; clients receive their honey packaged and ready to eat.  Honeybee Keep provides all honeybee management throughout the year, as well as the honey harvest and extraction tools and labor.  Farm and Community Garden pollination services must be negotiated on a case by case basis, however, we make our hives and management available free of charge in some not-for-profit cases, especially where community sufficient technologies are being employed.  Client referrals are available upon request.  This service requires a signed contract in advance.

Another twist on this service includes the idea of "sponsoring" a hive on a site of special concern to you.  For example, a couple living in Washington state sponsored a hive in Broomfield at their cost.  Reasons motivating this philanthropic decision vary greatly.  If you are of a mind to help a neighborhood with its pollination, or if you just want to help the honeybees, please contact us to discuss options.

Honeybee Removal / Rescue:  Denver Metro, Littleton to Boulder

Where removal and rescue are necessary, also known as cut outs, our base fee is $150 / hour with a minimum of 2 hours for the service ($300 minimum).  Additional fees apply on a case by case basis.  For example, where the honeybees are entangled in utility access (like electricity) for a building, this can require a qualified electrician to be on site.  Extractions typically require two weeks advance scheduling.  The extraction contract must be signed in advance by the property owner along with a $300 down payment.

Extraction / Cut Out, Before

Extraction / Cut Out, During

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