Our culinary team knows that bees play an increasingly vital role in the ecosystem. Wingspread has an apiary consisting of six beehives.  Our bees pollinate various types of plants, trees and flowers for miles around our campus.  You may see our bees gathering nectar and spreading pollen from the wildflowers in the prairies, in our vegetable and herb gardens, and on every fruit tree in our orchard. Annually our hives can produce up to 180 pounds of honey – with over 8 gallons of that delicious honey being used in our culinary operations – from desserts to salad dressings to beverage sweeteners, we know you’ll enjoy the pure flavor of one of nature’s essential processes.
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What’s more, vegetables, fruits and herbs grown right on our property are incorporated in many of the dishes we produce in our kitchens.  Annually, our culinary operation uses nearly 150 pounds of our own fresh produce.  From Swiss Chard to Sugar Snap Peas to juicy tomatoes and crisp green beans, growing and maintaining our gardens is a sustainable practice we all enjoy.

Across our campus, Wingspread Retreat and Executive Conference Center embraces sustainability and environmental stewardship as cornerstones of our legacy. From the sustainable design, construction, and operation of the LEED Gold certified Sam and Gene Johnson Guest House; to our use of solar panels for renewable energy; and our geothermal heating and cooling system; to our rain reclamation barrels and compost bins, we are committed to the conservation and preservation of the natural resources we share.  

In our operations, recycling, environmentally friendly chemical and paper usage and bulk guest room toiletries all combine to reduce our impact.  Throughout our lodging and meeting operation we are committed to sustainable practices.  And our commitment does not stop at our kitchen door either.