We recently caught up with Nick Lord, founder of Flower City Beeworks after the Asbury First Earth Day Event to discuss the roots of his passion for beekeeping and the honeybees currently living on the roof of Asbury First. Flower City Beeworks aims to bring raw, natural honey that captures the biodiversity of Rochester (known since the late 19th century as The Flower City) while providing education and resources to help support the pollinators in our backyards (and on our roof!).

How did you get into beekeeping in the first place?

I have always been fascinated by bees and how they operate, and could go on about the cool things they do and bee facts for hours. During the pandemic I took an online course at Penn State Cooperative Extension, and got started that season. My dad also started that same season downstate, and at the same time found his grandmother's journal with several mentions of buying beekeeping equipment and keeping a hive. We found out it's been in our family for 4 generations, albeit a bit indirectly!

Why Asbury First — what made it a good location for bees?

In my brief time on-site working with the bees, it's clear that Asbury First is a thriving group of people committed to serving their community, and the more time I've spent here, I've really seen how many avenues that manifests in. So many people I've stopped and talked with have been supportive and interested in the bees and how they operate here. Logistically, there is plenty of space for the bees, and an array of gardens, flowering trees, and invaluable resources to our pollinators nearby. The bees have a pretty good view from up there!

What inspired you to place beehives on the roof of a church? 

When I got into beekeeping I had to choose between keeping bees way out on a farm that was a decent drive away, or finding a way to make it work here in downtown Rochester. I researched urban beekeeping and decided I wanted to fully commit because of all the benefits to the bees and all of the awareness they bring to urban pollinators, and not to mention hyper-local products. To further this goal, I set out to partner with businesses and organizations to make the project very collaborative, to get the bees not only here, but involved in collaborations and community projects to further their involvement and awareness. My first two locations were churches, which felt like a good fit because both locations had a great commitment to sustainability that was furthered by adding honeybees on site. Also, the opportunity for community projects with the bees has been constantly growing - from the pollination of produce, and honey, for food pantries, to educational opportunities for all ages. 

What do you hope people take away from knowing there are bees on the roof of their church?  

I hope people are curious and want to learn more about bees and how we coexist and work alongside these hardworking little critters. There are so many ways they can help our community, and they are truly essential. We have a great environment here for the bees and an excellent opportunity to support them and learn more about all that they do. I am always happy to chat more and answer any questions that anyone may have!

More about Flower City Beeworks and the work Nick Lord is doing in the community can be found on their instagram account: www.instagram.com/flowercitybeeworks