Feel Good Friday - Detroit Hives

What happens when you transform vacant lots into urban bee farms? You get featured on Feel Good Friday, that's what.

I first learned about Detroit Hives a few months ago from this PBS Newshour story. It's an organization founded by Timothy Paule and Nicole Lindsey with a mission "to raise bee awareness and to protect the conservation of honeybees within the City of Detroit."

There are approximately 75,000 vacant lots in Detroit. The goal for the team at Detroit Hives is to buy and revitalize 45 of those lots in the next five years and expand their operation to 200 hives. Bees play an important part in pollinating blossoms. When hives are nearby community gardens, it increases the yield of the those gardens. Plus, you get honey!

The team at Detroit Hives also engages urban communities by creating cultural experiences focused on education and conservation. They are dedicated to teaching conservation and sustainability, especially to young children, by encouraging them to grow gardens in their yards and helping them overcome a fear of bees. You can learn more about their work by watching videos on their YouTube channel.

Whether or not you live in Michigan, you can support the work of Detroit Hives by shopping for merchandise and honey, making a donation and showing the love on social media by liking their Facebook page and following them on Twitter @DetroitHives. #Workhardstaybumble