About Us

Better beekeeping through education

The MHBA was formed to educate our members and the public about bees, beekeeping and bee products. We are a friendly association of over 500 beekeepers and those who are simply interested in bees and their wellbeing. Our group is nicely balanced between new beekeepers and those who are highly experienced.

Most of our members live in the Twin Cities and surrounding areas, and manage anywhere from one to several hundred hives. We hold regular meetings to learn, exchange ideas and socialize.

The MHBA is registered with the State of Minnesota and IRS as a 501(c)5 non-profit educational organization which is not classified as a charitable organization.

U of MN Bee LabThe MHBA has a strong relationship with the U of M Bee Lab professors, staff, and students. This helps us to stay current with research and trends in beekeeping. And we like to share our knowledge through educational outreach to schools, groups and festivals.

mn state fair logoMHBA members have also been part of the Minnesota State Fair for more than 50 years. They participate in a variety of ways. They enter their honey and honey-related products, provide demonstrations of honey extraction, explain the observation hives and answer visitors' questions. As a member, you can participate in these activities and many more.

Join and learn with us! There are no requirements for membership—you don’t even have to be a beekeeper. If you want to find out what we're about before you join, attend a meeting to find out.

beekeeper class

Officers

Board of Directors

(Year indicates the final year of term.)

  • Peg DeSanto (2026)
  • Will Gabbard (2026)
  • Charlie Kindinger (2026)
  • Quintin Holmberg (2024)
  • Katie Lee (Bee Lab Appointed Director)
  • Michelle Maas (2026)
  • Betty Mortensen (2025)
  • Liz Pepin (2026)
  • Noel Pollen (2024)
  • Gary Reuter (2026)
  • Christine Shoemaker (2025)
  • Karen Voy (2025)

Committees

  • Ask Buzz: JoAnne Sabin
  • Annual banquet chair: Jessica Minser
  • Election nominating chair: Christine Shoemaker
  • Facebook page admin: Liz Pepin
  • Hospitality: Kathy & Mark Lee
  • Membership support: Steve Buck
  • Picnic assistants: Gary Reuter, Cathy Schaefer
  • State Fair August Picnic chair: Christine Schoemaker
  • Website support: Quintin Holmberg
  • State fair extracting demo chair: TBD
  • Swarm chaser chair: Bob Sitko
  • Youth scholarship chair: Gary Reuter