ABOUT
MEET THE BEES
The Honeybees on Kauai live a life rarely seen in the modern world.
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While most commercial beekeeping operations are deeply intertwined with industrial agriculture our bees still forage on natural wildflowers. They are never forced to endure long trips on semi trucks for pollinating mono-crops. They enjoy a variety of tropical flowers that bloom year-round, all within reach of their wings.
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They are never fed sugar or corn syrup. They gather more than enough nectar to nourish themselves and produce plenty of surplus honey for us to enjoy.
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We are also one of the few places on the planet that do not have varroa mites, eliminating the need for chemical treatments. We do not get any of our queen bees from queen breeders. Our hives are strong enough to conceive their own queens and since they mate in the wild they are preserving an array of diverse genes that are being lost in commercial beekeeping’s obsession with pure Italian queen bees.
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The bees on Kauai are unparalleled in their vitality, genetics, and environment.
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Kauai Nectar keeps bees solely on Kauai, with apiaries stretching from the North in Kalihiwai to the South in Kalaheo. Seven apiaries in total are managed by Kauai Nectar.
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We keep bees because we see it as our duty to keep bees. . .
. . . Wild & Natural
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SAVE THE BEEKEEPERS
Everyone has heard that we need to save the bees, but have you ever thought about saving the beekeepers? As the people most intimate with bees, they hold generations' worth of information that will be crucial in helping the bees adapt, and survive, in an ever-changing world.
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Unfortunately, the number of beekeepers worldwide is shrinking and many of those left are getting old. Recruiting new beekeepers is complex. Some people are automatically disqualified because they have a deadly allergic reaction to bee venom. Others simply can't perform the arduous labor that is demanded regularly. The people that chose to serve these ancient insects are a brave and selfless cohort. We have been blessed to apprentice under many such master beekeepers and are elated to create more beekeepers in our wake.
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We are proud to employ people of diverse backgrounds. They are Veterans, moms, neurodivergent thinkers, felons, recovered addicts, granddads, people with disabilities, and people of every color, creed, gender, sexual orientation, and style. Their rich variety of life experiences helps us solve problems in creative ways, innovate and contribute to our community locally and globally. Meet these
real-life superheroes below.
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MEET THE BEEKEEPERS
JOIN US IN KAUAI
Let us introduce you to the magic that's been buzzing around you all along. One intimate encounter with a hive of honeybees is enough to change the way you see the world forever. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity will make you conscious of the intricate ecosystem of honeybees. Once acquainted you will notice how they permeate every place humans inhabit and those they don't, and how their tiny wings have ripple effects in all aspects of our lives.
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Honey is Kauai Nectar's main source of financial support, which enables us to continue keeping bees with a high level of integrity and to grow and amplify our efforts to keep bees on earth healthy and wild far into the future.
When you buy honey directly from the beekeeper you can be sure that you are getting pure, uncut honey and not the diluted, tainted, counterfeit honey that dominates the average grocery store shelf.
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It's also the most direct way to support the beekeepers working to keep thriving hives. The beekeepers that focus on producing honey, instead of pollinating industrial crops, have chosen to keep bees in a way that prioritizes the health of each hive, instead of increasing the number of hives, even when they are weak. These are beekeepers worth supporting.