By Andi Anderson
Julia McGuire, a beekeeper and educator from West Des Moines, Iowa, is leading efforts to advance sustainable beekeeping through educational tools and community-building programs.
With over 15 years of experience managing hives and organizing local bee clubs, she’s now using SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education) grants to support beekeepers across Iowa.
In 2021, McGuire received a $5,000 SARE Farmer Rancher grant to create a monthly beekeeping planner. This tool connects the timing of bee activities with seasonal and ecological cues. It helps beekeepers plan hive management tasks to boost honey yields and support native pollinator habitats.
Building on this success, she launched Beekeeper Learning Circles in 2023, backed by a $29,741 SARE Partnership grant. These circles offered monthly Zoom calls and hands-on field events covering topics like queen rearing, hive splitting, and swarm control. These complex practices often go unaddressed in regular club meetings, but McGuire’s program filled that gap.
In 2025, she expanded her focus with the Beekeeper Business Education Retreat, supported by an $8,044 grant. This retreat provided practical business training for beekeepers, including branding, marketing, and sales techniques—key skills for anyone aiming to turn beekeeping into a sustainable business.
Each initiative reflects McGuire’s commitment to building a strong, informed, and connected beekeeping community. From better hive care to smarter business strategies, her work is helping Iowa’s beekeepers thrive.
Her efforts have also reinforced local food systems, supported environmental sustainability, and inspired new generations of bee enthusiasts across the state.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-poike
Categories: Iowa, Education