By Berlin Arellano (Canadian River Foodshed Intern—Tucumcari, NM)
In 2005, Meg McGee began her relationship with the honeybees, mentoring with Les Crowder and completing an intensive, season-long training in natural top-bar beekeeping. Over the years her skills have broadened working closely with the hives and attending numerous trainings, workshops, and seminars examining wide-ranging aspects of beekeeping and the creation of apitherapeutic products. In 2013, she was among a small group representing New Mexico at Apimondia, the 43rd International Apicultural Congress held in Kiev, Ukraine.
Meg’s apiaries in Mora and Rio la Casa, New Mexico host and nurture up to 25 top-bar style hives. The hives are managed in the high-altitude, short-season setting using no toxic inputs and focusing on hardy, healthy, locally-adapted and sourced colonies with long-lived queens. Since 2009, the apiary has also served as a hands-on classroom for aspiring beekeepers throughout the area. Meg is also involved in advocating for and educating on pollinator health and habitat, beekeeper support, and maintaining continuing individual mentorships. She offers fine products from the generous gifts of the honeybees – honey, apitherapeutic tinctures, healing balms and salves, and skin delights – through the Tri-County farmers’ market in Las Vegas and the Los de Mora Local Growers Cooperative in Mora.
In concert with her relationship alongside the honeybees, Meg is a lifelong organic gardener, growing vegetables, fruits, flowers, and medicinal and culinary herbs.
Click here to learn more about her!