Market Vendor Highlight: Bike a Bee

The 61st Street Market is a space dedicated to local foods and the farmers, food artisans, and harvesters who make them. Since 2018, Jana Kinsman’s Bike a Bee has supplied locally harvested honey to our community from around 100 hives on the south side and a few more on the north side.

After a time in corporate America, Jana longed for a more meaningful connection to her work. That connection came through an unexpected path: beekeeping. She took a beekeeping class and immediately fell in love with the process. An apprenticeship in Eugene, Oregon, deepened her passion, and soon after, she launched her own venture through a successful Kickstarter campaign. With $8,000 raised, she started ten hives in 2012—and Bike a Bee was born.

What sets Jana’s honey apart is its distinct sense of place. Each jar is harvested from a specific neighborhood and labeled accordingly, so customers can truly taste the character of each local landscape. Beyond her honey, Jana creates simple, high-quality body products made with minimal ingredients and maximum care.

In 2023, Jana’s commitment to sustainability and quality earned her a Good Food Award—a national recognition celebrating ethical and delicious food producers. Yet, for Jana, the real reward comes from her community: “My customers have made all of my dreams come true.”

You can find her every week at the 61st Street Farmers Market, where she sells her delectable honeys and body care products, catches up with friends, and reconnects with loyal customers.

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