CoNectar is hosting a nature sensory evening focused on strategies for integrating native fruit-yielding plants into your backyard habitat. Strategic selection of natives can be an important source of sustenance for humans and wildlife alike. Ecological landscape designer Chris Kosin of Gaiascape will be bringing his native planting expertise to the discussion. Serviceberry Pie for dessert! 

Pollinator Week is about taking action to to create better resources for pollinators within our community.  We'll be installing native plants at various locations within the Borough of Millvale (Rain Garden, Rainbow Raccoon Park) from 1-4 pm.  From 4-6 pm we'll be doing a wild bee survey at the Gardens of Millvale with entries into iNaturalist.  Join this day of action and for a brew at Grist House.  

Join us for a 1.5 mile hike along the lower Allegheny to scout for blooming linden trees. Fallingwater arborist Ann Talarek will share her knowledge of linden tree ID.  Our goal will be to add linden (Tilia spp.) entries to our Allegheny River Ecology project on iNaturalist. We’ll finish the hike at CoNectar with a tasting of 100% Allegheny County linden honey popsicles and other treats.  

Celebrate Summer Solstice with gentle outdoor yoga at sunset at the Girty's Woods.  We'll meet at CoNectar in Millvale then will carpool up the hill to Girty's Woods Conservation Project to do the yoga in the grassy outdoor space at the hilltop.    Kimberly Musial will lead the yoga session and Christina Neumann will guide a multi-sensory meditation to explore the throat chakra, Vishuddah. This session includes light yoga and a honey treat.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Explore the aromas of beeswax.  Learn how bees make beeswax and how to make a candle.

During this class, we'll explore the amazing sonics of buzz pollination, particularly well performed by Bumble Bee species.  We'll also be  tasting a sampling of berry honeys as part of our Wheel of the Bee Year gallery tasting series.  This class is set a bit earlier in the day than the start of the Millvale Music Festival to facilitate parking.  Come for the class to hear bees buzzing and hang out in Millvale the rest of the day for a seriously amazing music celebration.  

During this class, we'll explore the amazing sonics of buzz pollination, particularly well performed by Bumble Bee species.  We'll also be  tasting a sampling of berry honeys as part of our Wheel of the Bee Year gallery tasting series.  This class is set a bit earlier in the day than the start of the Millvale Music Festival to facilitate parking.  Come for the class to hear bees buzzing and hang out in Millvale the rest of the day for a seriously amazing music celebration.  

During this class, we'll explore the amazing sonics of buzz pollination, particularly well performed by Bumble Bee species.  We'll also be  tasting a sampling of berry honeys as part of our Wheel of the Bee Year gallery tasting series.  This class is set a bit earlier in the day than the start of the Millvale Music Festival to facilitate parking.  Come for the class to hear bees buzzing and hang out in Millvale the rest of the day for a seriously amazing music celebration.  

Many Bumble Bees are some of the easier bee species to identify because … well …. they are “bombus” meaning buzzing and big! Their unique abdominal markings are a major key to identification. This 2-hour class covers the common species in Western Pennsylvania. The training will be helpful for native bee survey projects planned this summer on the iNaturalist app. 

During this class, we'll explore spring bloom foraging from a bee and honey perspective, making and tasting recipes  from saucer magnolia (Magnolia × soulangeana), common dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and common violet (Viola soria).

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.

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.

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.  

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.

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.

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.

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.