The Buzz about Beekeeping in Harrisonburg

Spring is just around the corner. Longer days, warmer weather, the smell of flowers, and that familiar buzzing sound. Local beekeepers are working to keep honeybees a part of Harrisonburg’s fauna, despite local policy prohibiting beekeeping in city limits.

The City Council prohibits beekeeping because of liability and to reduce Harrisonburg residents’ potential fears of an increased honeybee population.

Despite these ordinances, state-run James Madison University aims to be a more pollinator-friendly campus and is allowed to have hives hidden from the general body on its property.

A JMU club has supported beginner student beekeepers. While advocating for a more pollinator friendly campus, the Beekeeping Club works with a local professional beekeeper to educate students on the importance of pollinators and what it takes to work at a professional level.

President Claire Sherwood, a senior geographic science major, restarted the club during the spring of 2022 after it disbanded due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The club now consists of 45 active student members.

“If you come to a hive meeting, you’ll get the chance to hold one of the frames and go through the hive and see the different functionalities of it.” Sherwood said. “It’s just so cool! It’s like a nature documentary.”

There are two hives on JMU’s east campus that the club cares for, each hive containing around 60,000 bees. However, the hives are hidden from the general student body due to liability reasons.

“If you have even the slightest bit of curiosity about bees, this [club] is a great opportunity to learn firsthand how to keep bees on your own.” Sherwood said.

JMU student Andrew Britland, a junior majoring in intelligence analysis, became a certified beekeeper at 12 years old after he accepted an offer from his school to become student manager of the campus’ beehives.

In Virginia, to become an apprentice beekeeper, one has to pass an exam, a practical test which demonstrates the techniques involved in a routine hive inspection, and complete five hours of approved public service credit annually. There are then more tests, interviews, and service hours to become a master beekeeper.

With this certification, you can commercially produce and sell honey. Britland sold honey, homemade candles, and lip balm utilizing his home and school hives to several hundred customers.

“During my very first honey extraction, I got stung 27 times. I didn’t really know what I was doing at that point and we had two hives which totaled around 180 pounds of honey.” Britland said. “The bees were very upset with me because I wasn’t being as careful as what I should have been.”

Since then, Britland continued to keep bees at his home in North Carolina until he left for college. “I’m sure I’ll have more beehives again.”

Groups outside of the JMU community also support Harrisonburg beekeeping, despite city prohibitions.

The Shenandoah Valley Beekeepers Association promotes the keeping of bees in order to increase the local honeybee population and provides a community for Beekeepers in the area.

SVBA member Tom Knapp started beekeeping 13 years ago from a single can of Mountain Dew. After tossing his can in the recycling bin in his garage, he saw a honeybee buzzing around and was instantly intrigued.

“Well, I knew nothing about beekeeping.” Knapp said. “If you’re going to keep bees, be a beekeeper. Don’t be a bee haver. Keeping bees requires some knowledge. I tell people the best book, believe it or not is, Beekeeping for Dummies.”

Knapp’s business, Knapp’s Bees LLC., specializes in beehive removals and harvesting local honey. He frequently is contacted by residents of Rockingham County, the City of Harrisonburg, and James Madison University to remove unwanted honeybees to be relocated.

Two years ago Knapp was sponsored by a local city councilperson to address the Council and the mayor about the benefits of local beekeeping in Harrisonburg. Beekeeping is supported in major cities across America.

“But here in Harrisonburg we are not progressive enough” Knapp said.

Ultimately, the City Council agreed with Knapp. Since then, he has been working with the city to create new ordinances to support local beekeeping.