The 20-hive apiary is nestled beneath a large oak tree in the valley of several adjoining fields, framed on three sides by the wildflower meadow, vineyard and Upper Lake. The apiary is managed through a partnership between the College and Charlottesville-based The Elysium Honey Company. There also is an active student-led beekeepers club which organizes events and helps maintain the hives.

The apiary, like nearly all of Sweet Briar’s resources, is used by numerous academic fields of study. Biology students are able to study these amazing and unique insects. Environmental sciences students research the vital role bees play in sustaining our food ecosystem. Students in business classes designed marketing plans for the honey. But these are just a few of the scenarios where the apiary plays a role in the life of a Sweet Briar student.