Why “Host a Hive” Is Helping More People Support the Bees

There’s a growing number of people who care deeply about pollinators, sustainability, and supporting local ecosystems…but don’t necessarily want to become full-time beekeepers.

Beekeeping is rewarding, beautiful, fascinating work. But it’s also time-intensive, physically demanding, emotionally layered, and constantly evolving.

That’s exactly why programs like Lauren Donaldson’s Host a Hive are becoming such a meaningful bridge between communities and the bees that support them.

Meet Lauren Donaldson of Just Me and The Bees

If you’ve read our latest Female Beekeeper Spotlight featuring Lauren Donaldson, you already know Lauren doesn’t approach beekeeping like a business trend. She approaches it like stewardship.

What began with a swarm under her house turned into a decade-long journey of caring for bees, educating her community, and helping people reconnect with the natural world one hive at a time.

And now, through her Host a Hive program, she’s helping even more people become part of that story.

So, What Is a Host a Hive Program?

A homeowner, business, farm, or property owner provides space for a hive, and an experienced beekeeper manages the bees. The host gets the joy of supporting pollinators, learning about the hive, and often sharing in the honey harvest, without needing to become a beekeeper themselves. Similar programs across the country are growing in popularity as more people look for accessible ways to support pollinators and local ecosystems.

For Lauren, the program is about more than placing boxes of bees around Charleston. It’s about connection, helping people slow down enough to notice the life happening around them, and creating spaces where pollinators can thrive.

“People want to support the bees, but they don’t want to be an actual beekeeper themselves. So that is where I come in.”

More people are becoming environmentally conscious. More families want to support local ecosystems. More businesses want sustainability initiatives that feel tangible and community-driven. But not everyone has the time, confidence, or experience to manage a hive themselves. Programs like Host a Hive remove that barrier. Lauren handles the care, inspections, management, and ongoing support while hosts get a front-row seat to the magic of the hive.

“I don’t look like I’ve been swallowed by a marshmallow.”

And because Lauren spends long days moving between hive locations, comfort and mobility matter. After years of working in oversized gear, she shared that one of the biggest differences with her Jeometry Beewear™ Sunny Suit is finally having a suit that actually fits.

Designed specifically for women, the Sunny Suit allows Lauren to move more comfortably, stay cooler in the South Carolina heat, and focus fully on the work that matters most: supporting healthy, thriving colonies.

Interested in Hosting a Hive?

You can learn more about Lauren’s work, her Host a Hive program, and follow along with her beekeeping journey through Just Me and The Bees.

And if you haven’t read Lauren’s full Female Beekeeper Spotlight yet, it’s one we’re especially proud to share.