Classes & Meetups
Teaching by Tasting Cafe coming Summer 25’
Sacral Chakra Balance Meditation
While it’s been a chilling winter, the sunlight intensity is increasing and spring is coming. Start your warm up at CoNectarwith yoga instructor Kimberly Musial for this multi-sensory meditation to explore the sacral chakra, Svadhisthana. This session includes light yoga and a honey elixir takeaway. Spaces are very limited due to yoga so reserve early.
Maple Flavors Tasting Class
Honey and maple syrup are both labor intensive foods to craft and also often heavily faked in commercial markets. Join this special tasting at CoNectar to celebrate authentic small batch maple products, including a sampling of a rare Big Leaf Maple Honey from the Pacific Northwest. Light refreshments included. Seats are limited.
Maple Bloom Hike
Join us for a relaxed 1.5 mile hike to survey the status of maple tree bloom in Girty's Woods Typically, the big red buds of the silver maples (Acer saccharinum) will be opening at this time. Our goal will be to add a few bloom status entries on the iNaturalist network, even if the presently cold weather continues to keep the bloom suppressed. Unopened flower buds count too! Weather pending. Please reserve a spot to be contacted in case of weather cancellation.
Spring Seed Starting Workshop
Officially kick off spring with a seed starting workshop, led by Alexis Williams, owner of Earth Offerings Garden Consulting and Installation. The class is aimed for both the novice and seasoned gardener to provide the foundational skills for growing their own vegetables from seed. We’ll talk about companion planting strategies for attracting native bees for increased pollination and fruit set, as well.
Meetup: Warm Flavors
If you love to talk flavors, join this casual meetup series to explore sensory wheels. We’re starting off with warm flavorswith a focus on coffee. Tim Blosser, owner of Thomas & Fisk Roasters and manager of Hilltop Coffee will be featuring some signatures roasts for us to review. Free Event. Bring samples and your favorite flavor wheels to the table.
Root Chakra Sensory Meditation
Join CoNectar and Kimberly Musial of The Yoga Hive, for this multi-sensory meditation to explore the root chakra, Muladhara. This event is one of many holistic offerings of Hygge New Year in Millvale coordinated by Abellie Voyante Tea Company! Check out the full event list here and plan a full day of wellness to kick off 2025.
Yule Sensory Hike
Girty's Woods hilltop is a magical place at sunset to celebrate the shortest day of the year. Join us for a meditative 1.5 mile hike to reflect on seasonal transition from fall to winter. We'll stop by Apoidea's apiary location at Girty's Woods to make sure our bees are properly tucked in for winter. A seasonal honey tasting and light refreshments will be served at the end of the hike.
Note the walk will involve hiking on uneven hilly surfaces and in lower lighting conditions. Dress appropriately for hiking and winter weather.
Fire + Ferment
Fire Cider is a traditional spicy fermented elixir that is imbibed to revive the body and soul, particularly during cold winter days in flu season. There are loads of recipes so fortunately we'll be joined by special guest, Maria Mosette Kretschmann, to talk about the basics and improvisation. Maria is an expert organic apple grower and producer of After The Fall’s beautiful hard cider and vinegar products. We'll be sampling some of her vinegars and exploring how they can be used with Apoidea's Certified Naturally Grown products to make your own batches. Demo is free and basic fire cider ingredients will be available for purchase, if desired.
Beeswax Basics for Kids
Kids will learn about the amazing way bees produce their own beewax and how to make a votive beeswax candle and simple salve. Workshop is for children ages 5 and up. Parents must attend with their children but need not book separate tickets. Space is limited to 10 tickets so reserve early. Fees cover basic material costs but tuition-free tickets are available by request.
The Sensory of Wonder Gallery : Hamamelis + Ilex
Visit CoNectar Flora to Table’s Gallery on Saturdays between the hours of 10:30am to 2:30 pm to see the current show featuring the interconnections between the pollinator science and the seasonal lore of Witch-hazel (Hamamelis) and Holly (Ilex).
Wheel of the Year sensory classes coming soon!
Steel City Worker Bees Meetup
In the world of Apis mellifera (aka honey bees), worker bees are the female bee force that keeps the nest operating. They're the inspiration for this woman-centric meetup of beekeepers and landscapers with bee-beneficial interests in mind.
Millvale Pride: Floral Seed Balls
We're excited for CoNectar's first official pop-up for a community event in Millvale! Stop by our table during Millvale Pride festivities to make up seed balls with Ernst Pollinator Seed Mix and have a sneak peek of the gallery space opening soon!
Summer Solstice Sensory Hike
An easy evening hike to literally stop and smell not just wild roses but the blooming milkweed, sumac, tree of heaven, elderflower and basswood trees along the Allegheny River.
Solstice BioBlitz
CoNectar's first annual summer solstice native bee survey in partnership with Latodami Nature Center at North Park! Learn native bee identification and help with a special citizen-scientist initiative by recording observations in the iNaturalist app for a national survey.
Pollinator Week Kickoff at Tina's
This coming Tuesday, 6/18, Tina's Cocktail Bar + Bottle Shop in Bloomfield will be featuring a collaborative honey cocktail using Apoidea's 23' Tree of Heaven honey, Bombay Sapphire Gin, Amontialldo Sherry and Organic Nectarine Liqueur!