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“Bees have so much to teach us about collaboration, communication, and resilience — and I’m thrilled to share these lessons with others.”
– Rebecca Krowelski of Prairie Sweetheart Honey, Manitoba
Young Agrarians is celebrating the eleventh year of the Business Mentorship Network (BMN) program in BC and the third year of the BMN in the Prairies! The BMN offers farm business mentorship to a diverse array of new and young farmers. The mentorship is offered over the course of a year. Through one-on-one mentorship, peer networks and online workshops new farmers develop the skills necessary to operate ecologically sustainable and financially viable farm businesses.
Applications for Mentees across Western Canada open in October 2025. Mentor applications are accepted year-round. Want to be notified when applications open for the 2026 cohort? Click below!
Meet a mentee from the current cohort and learn about their farm and why they joined the Business Mentorship Network. Want more? Head over to our BMN Blog for more mentorship stories.
Meet a Mentee: Prairie Sweetheart Honey
Hi, I’m Rebecca Krowelski of Prairie Sweetheart Honey — a small-scale urban apiary located on Treaty 1 territory in the Charleswood area of Winnipeg, Manitoba.
We offer small-batch craft honey and other hive products for people who want to have a connection with the bees. My mentor is the amazing Phil “The Beeman” Veldhuis of Phil’s Honey.
Through my intern program, I help new beekeepers build confidence in managing their colonies, and I offer community education to schools and senior centres on the life cycle of honey bees, their critical role in our ecosystem and how they work together as one superorganism.
Bees have so much to teach us about collaboration, communication, and resilience — and I’m thrilled to share these lessons with others.
How It All Started: A Farm Girl at Heart
As a little girl, my dad worked for Manitoba Farm Vacations and would take me along on summer road trips to inspect farms. While he worked, I’d spend the day helping with chores and blending in to every day life on the farm. I felt completely at home.
In my school memory book, every year I’d check off “cowboy” as what I wanted to be when I grew up — then scratch out “boy” and proudly write in “girl.” That early love for the land never left me.
My Mom’s Gift
My specific interest in bees and beekeeping began in 2004 while researching an article about the health benefits of pollen. The more I learned, the more fascinated I became.
My mom always found a way to support everything I did and this time it was by giving me the book, ‘The Secret Life of Bees.’ Her gift took on new meaning after she passed away suddenly on February 29 while saving someone’s life during a trip to Guatemala. It was the last thing she gave me.
That book became a source of comfort and inspiration. It’s the story of a young girl who loses her mother and finds healing in a beekeeping community. Its themes of loss, love, and resilience — woven with bee facts and folklore — drew me deeper into the world of beekeeping. Here’s a one-minute video that my friend Dwight created for me called, My Mom’s Gift.
Learning to Think Like a Bee
For years, I devoured books and videos, trying to absorb everything I could. Finally, in 2015 — I enrolled in the Beekeeping for the Hobbyist course at the University of Manitoba. It was packed with great information, but I still needed more practical guidance.
That spring, I joined the Red River Apiarists’ Association and met Ted Scheuneman — a gentle, wise “bee whisperer” who mentored me for a year. His philosophy was simple but powerful:
“Rebecca, you must think like a bee. It’s our job to figure out what the bees are trying to do — and help them do it.”
Thanks to Ted, I finally felt ready to start. I bought my first two nucs (small colonies) of Carniolan bees from him. His mentorship continued until his passing in 2019, and I’ll always be grateful for the time, wisdom, and care he shared with me.
Growing as a Beekeeper and Educator
Since then, every bee season has been full of learning, challenges, joy and growth. As Albert Einstein said, “The more I know, the more I realize how much I don’t know.”
I’ve visited apiaries in Guatemala, India, Mexico, the U.S., and across Canada to deepen my understanding. I also became a member of Direct Farm Manitoba, which gave me access to a network of farmers and tools for building a sustainable farm business — a dream come true.
Most recently, I completed the Master Beekeeping program at Cornell University — an 18-month series of modules with that has left me better equipped with a greater knowledge of bees and best management practices.
The Business of Bees: Why I Joined the Mentor Program
Today, I operate Prairie Sweetheart Honey as a sole proprietorship while working full-time. I applied for the Young Agrarians Business Mentorship Program to strengthen the business side of my operation and create a strong foundation to eventually move into beekeeping full-time.
My mentor, Phil “The Beeman”, has already been incredibly generous with his knowledge and support. Together, we’re working on a comprehensive business plan, exploring revenue streams, analyzing supply and demand and identifying grants and funding to support my growth.
We’ve identified a clear pathway for the ideal client and recognized that community education is an area with opportunity for growth. The goal is to ensure a smooth transition to a reliable and profitable career choice.
Looking Ahead
My vision is to grow Prairie Sweetheart Honey into a thriving, community-rooted farm that educates, inspires and connects people with the bees. I want to create a space where more people — especially women and youth — can discover beekeeping, agriculture and the strength that comes from working with nature.
You can follow my journey and learn more about our honey and hive products at Prairie Sweetheart Honey. Sign up for our newsletter, and connect with us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.
I look forward to learning alongside you, sharing stories, and building a stronger farming community — one bee at a time.
