Bee Veterans opens the door to successful backyard beekeeping
One of Minnesota’s newest backyard beekeepers is Brandon Schrader of Lakeville, who started his beekeeping hobby after taking part in the Bee Veterans workshops, learning from experts as part of a collaboration between Extension and the Bee Squad, the University of Minnesota Bee Lab’s outreach arm.
Today, Schrader, a squadron commander with the U.S. Air Force Reserve, tends two hives in his backyard, plus three at a farm near Prior Lake and three near an apple orchard in Lakeville. He appreciates the ability to learn beekeeping hands-on at the Bee Veterans’ apiary near the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, too.
“You can learn only so much watching YouTube videos or reading about beekeeping,” he said. “The U Bee Lab provides insights into improving our beekeeping practices. They walk you through the process and show you what you should be looking for and doing at that point in the season.”
Highlights
- RSDP impact: With support from a CERTs Seed Grant, Hastings residents will be offered home energy audits and information on clean energy incentives available through the Inflation Reduction Act.
- Jaelyn H., a Dakota County 4-H’er, is a Minnesota 4-H State Ambassador. She serves on the animal science youth leadership team and as a Dakota County 4-H Federation Secretary.
- U of M Farm Family of the Year: Charlie and Leah Radman (2026)
- Extension’s crops team hosted a conservation tillage field day at Legvold Farms with local partners.
- Master Gardeners in Dakota County participate in statewide vegetable and flower variety trial research and share results with the public. In 2025, they studied different flower varieties for attractiveness to pollinators.
- Minnesota Master Naturalist volunteers participated in National Public Lands Day at Carpenter Nature Center and Lost Valley in Hastings. This annual event of the National Environmental Education Foundation promotes enjoyment and volunteer conservation of public lands.
- SuperShelf locations: 360 Communities Apple Valley Food Shelf, 360 Communities Burnsville, 360 Communities Messiah Community Food Shelf, 360 Communities Rosemount Food Shelf
- The Climate Adaptation Partnership is developing new resources on future groundwater and soil moisture conditions for Dakota County based on long-term precipitation changes. This information will allow communities to weigh issues like proposed data centers and future drinking water availability using the best available science.
Dakota County office
Extension has 14 regional offices supporting all 87 counties in Minnesota.
Dakota County partners with Extension to deliver practical education and research you can use at home, at work and in your community. More about Extension in our county.
About the Minnesota 87 project
Spend time in any Minnesota county, and you will almost certainly encounter University of Minnesota Extension. Our faculty and staff, volunteers, participants, alumni and partners are woven into the fabric of rural, urban and suburban Minnesota life. This project showcases Extension in action through photos, stories and a sampling of the many ways Extension has touched the lives of people in every county.