Julia McGuire, beekeeper and educator based in West Des Moines, Iowa, has been actively involved in beekeeping since 2008. She manages multiple hives across central Iowa and serves as the coordinator for the Des Moines Backyard Beekeepers. McGuire is also affiliated with the Iowa Honey Producers Association and has contributed to various community development initiatives.
McGuire has received three SARE grants focused on enhancing beekeeping education and promoting sustainable business practices in Iowa. Through these projects, McGuire has provided beekeepers in Iowa with valuable tools and knowledge to enhance honey production, promote native foraging habitats, and improve overall business sustainability.
Monthly Planner for Beekeepers
In 2021, McGuire received a $5,000 NCR-SARE Farmer Rancher grant to develop a monthly planner that integrates phenology with beekeeping practices. The planner was designed to help beekeepers optimize honey production and enhance native foraging habitats by aligning activities with seasonal and ecological changes. It serves as a tool for Iowa beekeepers to make informed decisions throughout the year, supporting healthier hives and more productive operations.
Beekeeper Learning Circles
In 2023, McGuire received a $29,741 NCR-SARE Partnership grant to create the Beekeeper Learning Circles program. This initiative organized monthly Zoom meetings and in-person field days to teach Iowa beekeepers about queen rearing, hive splits, and swarm management—topics that are often too complex or time-consuming to cover in traditional bee club meetings. The program provided opportunities for beekeepers to learn and engage with experts, helping to build a more sustainable local beekeeping community.
Beekeeper Business Education Retreat
Building on her previous success, McGuire was awarded an $8,044 NCR-SARE Partnership grant in 2025 to organize a Beekeeper Business Education Retreat. This retreat was designed to offer in-depth training on business management for beekeepers, covering topics such as branding, labeling, sales strategies, and digital marketing. The retreat aimed to provide participants with the knowledge and tools needed to make their beekeeping operations economically viable and sustainable in the long term.
Through these initiatives, Julia McGuire has bolstered the beekeeping community in Iowa, supporting both the sustainability and profitability of the state's small-scale beekeepers.
View Related SARE Grants:
- A monthly planner that combines phenology and beekeeping to improve honey production and native foraging habitat (FNC21-1289)
- Beekeeper Learning Circles (ONC23-127)
- Beekeeper Business Education Retreat (ONC25-169)