About Us
A Program Built By Veterans For Veterans
Our Story
Since 2015, the Heroes to Hives program has been leading the nation in training military veterans, National Guard members, Active Duty personnel, Reservists and their dependents in the art and science of beekeeping. Founded by Bee Wise Farms LLC's Adam Ingrao PhD (Entomologist), and Lacey Ingrao MA (Transpersonal Psychologist), and Michigan Food and Farming Systems’ Veterans in Agriculture Network, the program began as a way to engage Service Members in beekeeping as an opportunity for them to continue serving their nation by protecting our nation’s food security and work with other Service Members to recreate the support network of the military. To date, over 10,000 service members and their dependents have taken the Heroes to Hives course.
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Our Partners
Heroes to Hives is recognized across the nation as the premier beekeeping education course for Service Members. The program is a true collaborative effort and national partners include:​
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Bee Wise Farms LLC (Founders, on-ground education in Michigan, National Field Training Headquarters, Research and development of therapeutic beekeeping practices)
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Department of Veterans Affairs (Research and development of therapeutic beekeeping practices)
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GreenStone Farm Credit (Risk management program educational content)
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Michigan Food and Farming Systems (National Headquarters and on-ground education in Michigan)
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Michigan State University Extension (On-ground education in Michigan)
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Michigan AgrAbility (Accessible technology educational content)
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National AgrAbility Project (Accessible technology educational content)
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The Veteran's Farm of North Carolina (On-ground training in North Carolina)
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Pennsylvania Veterans Farm (On-ground instruction in Pennsylvania)
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Purdue University (On-ground instruction in Indiana)
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Taste the Local Difference (Educational content on online marketing)
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Tru Bee Removal (On-ground education in Oklahoma)
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University of Missouri Extension (On-ground education in Missouri)
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University of Minnesota (Host of the Heroes to Hives conference)
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University of Minnesota Extension (On-ground training in Minnesota)
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University of Nebraska-Lincoln (On-ground education in Nebraska and run Great Plains Master Beekeeping Course)
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VetBiz - Veteran Business Outreach Center Missouri (Small business development educational content)
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Veterans of Foreign Wars - Department of Michigan (On-ground education in Michigan)
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Veterans of Foreign Wars - National Home for Children (On-ground education in Michigan)