Downtown Raleigh Apiary Project | Market Restaurant | Chad McIntyre

“Getting on the roof…it’s easy.” He says, then wears upon his face a grinning ‘expression of uncertainty’ that doesn’t necessarily reinforce the words. ”You can watch how I do it.”

Chad McIntyre, chef/owner of Market Restaurant in Raleigh rounds the corner with a twelve foot aluminium extension ladder and places it on the front side of the building, right at the demarcation line between the awnings of his restaurant and his cooperative neighbor’s business, Escazu Chocolates. A few clanks sound as he extends the ladder to maximum reach just below the gutter, a few inches short of my comfort zone learned from years of working with my father as an electrician. He climbs to the top and lays the torso of his body flat on the roof, legs removed from the ladder, dangling over the edge, and finally spins them in a half-shimmy-roll to safety. I stare up the ladder to an empty sky…pause…and am suddenly thrown back to the feeling of being a kid, hanging out with friends, being the last one to attempt some ridiculous feat that I’m for certain is not ‘Mother approved’. A quick inhale, and a reassuring speech to myself, “Here you go ass. You asked for this.” and up the ladder I go. As I get to the top Chad lends a hand catching camera equipment for easier maneuvering of my very own virgin half-shimmy-roll attempt. ”You can hold on to the gutter,” he says with confidence, not knowing that I’ve watched my fair-share of ‘America’s Funniest Videos‘ fully aware of the possible…and likely outcome. As I reach the top most rung on the ladder, it wobbles from side to side as if it were made of licorice, nicely softened by the already 85° sun. I ponder what my past experience has taught me; that the issues ever encountered while climbing a ladder ‘up’ are two-fold, if not more, for the journey down. ”Almost there” I think to myself, “one more maneuver and you will be that much closer to being trapped on a roof…in the middle of summer…with a swarm of bees. Great idea, Mark! and why are you doing this?”…

a’ Just Bee Cause. The Downtown Raleigh Apiary Project.

Chef Chad and the other’s at Market Restaurant in collaboration with beekeeper Ben “Mr. Buzz” Crawley and with the help of their neighbors Escazu Chocolates are looking to expand their bee hive project in Downtown Raleigh. Since the recent tornado in Downtown Raleigh demolished one of their two bee hives, Chad is hoping to add up to 5 more boxes to increase the amount of bees. In keeping with Market Restaurant’s mission of serving whole, all natural, unprocessed foods from local sources, the expansion of their bee hive project will not only provide them (and Escazu) with great product with which to create edible masterpieces but they also plan on participating in educational programs that show the importance of local bee keeping. They hope to offer insights to interested educational groups and eventually have a live camera feed so that anyone can view what there bees are up to at any given moment. Their bee hive project will play a major roll in the local ecology due to the bees ability to pollinate. Since they began they have already been informed of an increase in activity and hope to possibly play a role when the Raleigh City Farm project takes shape a few blocks away. Chad hopes to eventually make this project into a full CSApiary (Community Supported) in which members can opt in at certain levels to gain rewards such as honey and access to special dinner events.

To raise awareness of not only their project but also to educate the public on the importance of bees, Market Restaurant is hosting a FREE screening of the documentary film covering the current issues of the ‘Vanishing of the Bees’ this Wednesday, July 27th with Live Music from The Saucy Crawtails. Event starts at 6pm and the film shows at 9:15pm. Chef Chad will be providing some honey-centric dishes and beverages to coincide with the event.

ALSO: In hopes raise money for the project Market has opened a fund raising page on Kickstarter (HERE). There is a deadline ending this Friday, July 29th, 10:12PM EST. If Market does not reach it’s ultimate fundraising goal of $2,800 then they will have to forfeit anything pledged below that amount. One can donate any amount but there are also some rewards for certain donations, including Escazu Chocolates, jars of honey, and tickets to a Special Bee Dinner.