Anyone who thinks they’re too small to make a difference has never met the honeybee.
It’s all about Pollinating Minds…
The Honeybee Discovery Center is designed to teach the public about honeybees and the rich history of beekeeping in Northern California. The Center is a place for the public and schools to learn about honeybees and for the beekeeping community to display items that are part of beekeeping and its history.
Beekeeping has always been a vital industry in Northern California agricultural area. Honeybees became even more important as the number of almond trees grew in the northern counties and more beehives were needed for pollination.
Northern California is also excellent for queen bee rearing, with tens of thousands of queen bees produced annually. This popularity of Beekeeping as a profession led to the designation of the city of Orland, CA in Glenn County as the “Queen Bee Capital of North America.” Eighty percent of the queen bees used in the United States are raised here in Butte, Glenn, Shasta, and Tehama counties, which are often referred to as the “Golden Triangle.” Orland is also the 40th “Bee City, USA” with a commitment to creating greater awareness and an environment that protects honeybees and other pollinators.
Yvonne Koehnen, a longstanding and highly respected part of a local beekeeping family, originated the idea of the Honeybee Discovery Center, and the Honeybee Discovery Center board is working to recognize the goal of a new center that will further its mission of teaching the public about honeybees and other pollinators.
Queen Bee Capital
The perfect union of Orland as Queen Bee Capital, and the Honeybee Discovery Center was established in 2018, when the two groups joined to make the vision come to life. At present, the Honeybee Discovery Center administrative offices are located at 501 Walker Street in Orland, California. Fundraising is currently underway for the construction of the state-of-the-art Discovery Center and pollinator gardens.
Bee Involved
Advisory Council
The Honeybee Discovery Center is a dynamic organization and needs the support and input of
Community Leaders with experience and insight. It is important to the board that we promote a community voice in our decision making and future plans.
The Honeybee Discovery Center is forming an Advisory Council and selecting a well-represented group of agriculturists, beekeepers, educators, business professionals, and community leaders to help guide and advise the organization.
Advisors will:
Contribute to the success of the Center and its mission
Share expertise in guiding the Center’s efforts
Make a positive impact and serve the community
Network and expand the reach of the organization
If you’re interested in joining the advisory council, or if you have questions about how to become a volunteer, please complete the form below and someone will get back to you shortly.