Our Sanctuary is in need of a cottage for our caretaker--the bees and the land are calling for the human presence, an element that can help to deter bears and deer, as well as providing the constant impulse of care and protection within the Sanctuary itself. At Spikenard, we don't just KEEP bees, we CARE. Please help us complete this project--we have already raised 3/4 of the 38K needed, and we would be most grateful for your support in finishing this important work.
Here in the mountains of Virginia, we have bears, skunks, racoons...all of which can be a problem for our honeybees. We have a beautiful landscape that needs our love, care and attention. For the last 5 years, we have not had anyone living on the site of Spikenard Farm Honeybee Sanctuary, but we have always felt a deep need for this presence. This year, with our large growth as an organization, high mite counts, and more and more skunks and bears coming around, we are finally making the push!
This project will allow us to build a cottage on site, so that the caretaker of our farm can live with the land and with the bees. Our honeybees need an angel, they are really calling for special care. As an educational organization that is training the next generation of beekeepers in sustainable methods, we absolutely need to set the example for the highest standards of care for our honeybees and our beautiful Sanctuary.
With someone living within the Sanctuary, not only will the bees and the land benefit, but we will then have the opportunity to continue on our capital campaign with the construction of a new teaching space--our Bee Barn, which we will begin fundraising for this Spring. All of our construction over the past few years needs continual maintenance and oversight, and having the caretaker living within the Sanctuary gives us the support we need to move forward with our bigger projects!
