Bee Squared

Beth Conrey, the owner of Bee Squared Apiaries, a small beekeeping operation located in Berthoud, Colorado, has 125 hives in various locations in Weld, Larimer and Boulder counties. She began beekeeping some 20 years ago after reading a series of newspaper columns on beekeeping. Her friend’s articles inspired her to take a beekeeping class and the rest, as they say, is history. She started out innocently enough with just 2 hives and found herself fascinated. “When you are out in a lawn chair watching bees I remain captivated by the ability of this social insect to produce food for human consumption—the only insect to do so.”

The mission of Bee Squared is to “Bee Exponentially Better” as defined by the following:

• We will sustainably produce, source, harvest, pack and distribute hive products.
• We will provide our employees with a compensation and benefit package that exceeds the industry standard.
• We will donate a minimum of 1% of sales to pollinator causes.

 * Available in RiNo and Central Park

 

                      Maia Foods

I am Madhavi (pronounced Ma-duh-vee), the small business owner and chef behind Maia Foods (pronounced Ma-ya).

I grew up in the western city of Pune, India, and after spending some time in Europe, we crisscrossed the US for several years having had to follow our jobs. Finally, in 2005, our family, my husband and two daughters, made our permanent home in Denver, Colorado.

A lifelong educator, I inhabit two very different worlds of academia and entrepreneurship. By day, I teach at a local university in a teacher education program and train teachers and administrators. And in the evenings and weekends, I run my small business, which has allowed me to claim a tiny space in Indian vegetarian cooking. This journey brings me immense learning and allows me to connect with a community of small business owners, immigrant entrepreneurs, foodies, and chefs.

The food I make at home remains a reflection of my travel history. I continue to draw inspiration from the many people I’ve met, and the places, techniques, and ingredients that I have come to love. I started Maia Foods as a cottage business in 2019 when my daughters left home for college. I was looking for a way to share Indian food heritage and culture and when friends offered to buy my homemade ghee on a regular basis, the business was born. I love to demystify Indian cuisine and share it with others. This led to the creation of Indian meal kits such as soups, khichadi, rice, and dals and then to spice blends or masalas.

I try to spend a few hours every week practicing yoga and meditation or taking advantage of the beautiful outdoors of Colorado by walking, hiking, or biking on the trails. 

I love connecting with customers so do reach out or visit my food blog for vegetarian and vegan recipes.
* Available in RiNo and Central Park

 

                   Toute Douceur