Chris Harp & Grai St. Clair Rice

Teaches at HoneybeeLives

​Chris Harp is an organic beekeeper, “Bee Doctor”, beekeeping teacher and co-founder of HoneybeeLives.  He has been tending is own hives in New Paltz, NY for twenty-six years.  He has expanded his naturalist and biodynamic approach to tend approximately 200 colonies in locations in New York and Connecticut for both individuals and organizations.  Harp is a consultant on hive health for troubled colonies and concerned beekeepers.

Harp’s work as a “Bee Doctor” comes from a deep caring and concern for the fragility of the Honeybee population, and a profound respect for the structure of their collective lives and their impact on the health of Mother Earth.  Harp’s goals are focused on the wellbeing of the colonies he nurtures, and through teaching others he raises the awareness of and caring for these amazing creatures.

Harp's naturalist and biodynamic methods, and unique hive designs, have developed from his years of working with, and listening to, Honeybees, as well as having studied with Gunther Hauk at the Pfeiffer Center.

Grai St. Clair Rice is an organic beekeeper, as well as writer/photographer/filmmaker living in NYC.  Grai is a co-founder of HoneybeeLives.  Grai is a native of New York City and describes herself as a city girl with a country heart.

After ten years as an Editor/Producer at CNN's New York Bureau, and many years before in the film, art and publishing worlds, Grai's focus turned to beekeeping and writing.  With her love and knowledge of Honeybees she is able to use her talents to encourage a better understanding and appreciation of Honeybees by the public at large, and help nurture beekeepers to embrace a gentle and spiritual approach to their care.

Grai is founder of the contemporary Ulster County Beekeeping Association and is currently the president of UCBA. Grai lectures on gardening for Honeybees, and co-teachs some of the beekeeping classes.  She is working on two different books about honeybees and beekeeping.  She is thrilled that beekeeping is legal again in NYC, and helps others tend hives in the city.