Through Westminster-based Homestead in the Hood, Sarah and Matt McLean turned a hobby into an educational and community-grounded business centered on beekeeping and its benefits.
The team began beekeeping at home in 2019 and now has hive hosts across Colorado, a buzzing business and their recent addition: the Homestead in the Hood Mercantile.
Get to know the duo
Sarah McLean is president of Homestead in the Hood, and Matt McLean is vice president, with both serving as co-owners of the mercantile.
Their beekeeping journey began with Sarah planting a garden at their first home. Being from Conifer, she wasn’t familiar with honeybees, but she took an interest in them when they began frequenting her plants.
She said she began thinking about how people keep bees as a hobby, leading Matt McLean to buy her the equipment to get started for her birthday. After attending classes together and receiving a suit, he also grew interested and eventually wanted to make beekeeping his career. Now, they are committed to the business full time.
Exploring Homestead’s hive work
Sarah shared that Homestead in the Hood maintains 70 to 80 hives, an endeavor that requires community support.
She explained that hives expand and divide quickly into swarms, and beekeepers have to split them each spring, which creates more hives.
“That’s the natural tendency of bees is to split themselves, and the queen leaves with half the bees [and] leaves the other half behind with a new queen that’s being made. As a beekeeper, we’re trying to avoid having swarms because we don’t want to be nuisances to our neighbors and we don’t want to lose our bees,” she said.
To maintain their desired 70 to 80 hive range, the McLeans sell the splits from their hives every spring. Sarah McLean explained that a split is called a “nuc,” short for nucleus colony.
According to city restrictions, Homestead in the Hood can only keep four hives on their property. They rely on hive hosting, in which volunteers dedicate part of their property to hives.
Homestead in the Hood keeps hives in about 15 locations from Westminster to Centennial, which move as needed to account for environmental conditions.
Sarah explained that hive hosts often see better-looking and more abundant yards because of the pollination, as well as an increased awareness of yard chemical use and environmental impact among their neighbors.
Anyone interested in hive hosting can seek out information on their local bee club or check out the Colorado State Beekeepers Association’s website to get in contact with a beekeeper.
The McLeans don’t just tend to their own hives; they mentor others on how to start and maintain them via their spring Beekeeping 101 program. Sarah McLean explained that they help get new beekeepers through their first two years with information and hive check-ins.
Those who would prefer a more informational experience can join one of three summer hive tours, which the team advertises in February or March. Ten to 11 tourgoers enter the McLeans’ homestead, where they can see the inner workings of a hive up close.
Free resources and more information on all of their beekeeping services are available on their website.
Mercantile, markets and more
Homestead in the Hood’s mercantile features more of the business side of beekeeping.
Sarah McLean shared that all the products they make are sold here, including honey, candles and body care items. She noted that they also stock items from a range of community vendors, including Women’s Bean Project, Hipnola Granola, Mile High Provisions and more.
The mercantile features a coffee shop, plant shop, soap shop and bar-seat view of the kitchen, which allows visitors to see honey extraction, bottling and candlemaking taking place.
This location also serves as a space for community activities.
McLean outlined some of their upcoming classes and events, which the Homestead in the Hood duo and outside groups lead throughout each month.
On Aug. 15, Homestead in the Hood and neighboring Victory Village businesses will host their monthly Backyard Bash; attendees can purchase barbecue, try samples and enjoy giveaways and live music from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
On Aug. 29, Aunt Letha’s Sourdough 101 class takes place from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.
The mercantile’s full class lineup, as well as places to purchase tickets, are available here.
Those who can’t make it to the mercantile can find Homestead in the Hood at local markets, and they maintain an updated list of dates and locations here.
Those interested can keep up with Homestead in the Hood and find announcements on their website. They also share information and announcements on Instagram, Facebook and Threads alongside their beekeeping content.
Cover photo courtesy of Stephanie Kelly Photography
Leave a Reply