ExclusiveOne San Diego beekeeper has a bee in her bonnet to educate others about apiary

Fourteen years ago, Hilary Kearney didn’t have a honey business. She didn’t have a single beehive. She didn’t even have a bee suit! What she did have was a growing curiosity and affinity for the strange and intriguing world of the little pollinators. Her journey started with a book on beekeeping she bought for her future husband, but she ended up falling in love with the world of apiary (the study of bees). Her first step was posting a Craigslist ad about collecting any unwanted hives, which was quickly answered. She didn’t even have a real suit during that first adventure, but she immediately knew that she wanted more!
Today, Hilary Kearney is the owner of Girl Next Door Honey, a San Diego-based bee business. Despite the name, Hilary’s main goal isn’t focus isn’t selling honey. In fact, she only sells the pure, raw honey locally to people who attend her events. Instead, she focuses on rescuing bees who have built hives in inconvenient places and educating others about the joys and challenges of beekeeping. She didn’t get into the business for the honey but for her fascination with bees’ lives and work, so she mentors others who share a similar passion, helping them establish their own successful bee colonies. Through her blog, in-person events, virtual workshops, and many books, she’s spreading the word about bees one hive at a time!