Kaiserson is Ellen Sorenson & Drew Kaiser. They LOVE BEES.
Ellen and Drew found their mutual love of bees at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire. She was a Geography Student while he studied Art. It was a seemingly unlikely intersection of passions that proved to be complementary.
In 2010, Ellen started an apiary at UWEC as part of an independent study with Geography Professor Joseph Hupy. In addition to learning to keep bees, they sought to understand how the complex and ever changing cover of rural Wisconsin affected honeybee health and mortality. They distributed a survey to beekeepers across the state and mapped their responses.
During this time, Drew would document the process with his trusty Nikon. It wasn't long before Ellen would ask Drew to pick up a queen cell, she had raised, to install in a failing hive. It was around this time that the local news-media took interest in the curious urban apiary and the city attorney weighed in. Keeping bees within the city was not considered allowable in most areas of the Eau Claire; unless zoned for agricultural use.
You might be asking yourself, "Why would you want to keep bees in town? Shouldn't they be out in the country?" Great question! There's research that seems to suggest bees fare better when situated to forage in cities. The bees are having a tough time right now, and they want to help. In 2013, they circulated a petition. Over 500 residents of Eau Claire (and hundreds of signers more from neighboring communities) signed in support of a beekeeping ordinance similar to Madison's. Drew worked throughout 2014 with the members of the Eau Claire Advisory Commission on Sustainability and City Council members to draft an ordinance. In February 2015, after much discussion and compromise, the City Council unanimously passed City Ordinance - Title 6, Chapter 6.14. With the road barrier to Eau Claire bees hurdled, the neighboring community of Altoona additionally considered and passed an ordinance allowing for beekeeping in 2015, and in 2016 Eau Claire County approved an ordinance for residential beekeeping.
Ellen and Drew have continued to increase the size of their bee yards and, in the spring of 2016, began to make maple syrup. The growth of their bee operation has been slow and incremental, only adding when they can handle (and afford) more bees. Around 2018, Ellen had a run-in with a few bees and learned that she had developed an allergy. She has opted for venom therapy in the hope of returning to the practice, but Drew stepped up to maintain and grow their apiaries. In 2022 they won a grant from the Menomonie Market Food Coop to purchase a shipping container, thus allowing more storage of equipment and growth. Shortly thereafter, Drew stepped away from his full-time job to focus fully on his self-employed endeavors.
In the 2023 season, Kaiserson maintained nearly 50 colonies at a dozen locations (expanding to Trempaleau Co)
In the 2024 season, Kaiserson maintained approximately 65 colonies at 15 locations
Expect to hear more from Kaiserson soon.