BEEKEEPING EDUCATION
2024 Introductory to Beekeeping Courses
We will again be offering our popular introductory beekeeping course to get you started in this fascinating and worthwhile hobby.
For 2024, we will be offering 2 formats:
SLOW AND STEADY: 3 evening/classroom sessions, 1 fieldwork session
THE WEEKENDER: Full weekend spring course (Saturday, Sunday)
Both formats will consist of both classroom and hands-on learning, to give you the necessary theoretical knowledge and also hands-on competence in your observational skills and handling of bees in the yard. We are confident that our course will give you a terrific foundation in your beekeeping journey!
Click below, on the option of your choice, to register:
Course Dates
SLOW AND STEADY - February 2024 Intake
The evening sessions will be the following dates:
Thursday, February 15, 2024 from 6-9pm
Thursday, February 22, 2024 from 6-9pm
Thursday, February 29, 2024 from 6-9pm
Fieldwork day is tentatively set for:
Saturday, May 25, 2024 from 8:30am-12:30pm (weather-dependent; will be rescheduled as necessary)
SLOW AND STEADY - April 2024 Intake
The evening sessions will be the following dates:
Tuesday, April 16, 2024 from 6-9pm
Tuesday, April 23, 2024 from 6-9pm
Tuesday, April 30, 2024 from 6-9pm
Fieldwork day is tentatively set for:
Saturday, May 25, 2024 from 1pm-5pm (weather-dependent; will be rescheduled as necessary)
THE WEEKENDER
Option 1: May 18-19, 2024 from 9am-4:30pm
Option 2: June 1-2, 2024 from 9am-4:30pm
COURSE CONTENT
The classroom component of the course will encompass the following topics:
Honey bee biology
Queen, workers, drones
Communication methods
The bee lifecycle
Seasonal cycles
Beekeeping equipment
Parts of a hive
Management options - Single or double, top-bar
Working in the bee colony
Components of a hive inspection
Adding honey supers
Notetaking
Bee pests and their treatment
Varroa mite lifecycle and management
American Foul Brood, European Foul Brood, Nosema, Chalkbrood
Wax moth, Small hive beetle
Troubleshooting queen issues
Swarming and supercedure
Introducing a new queen
Laying workers
Drone layers
Beekeeping responsibilities through the year
The beeyard component will be encompass the following topics, to reinforce good beekeeping practices and to build confidence with working a hive:
Hands-on guided hive inspection, including:
Smoker use
Handling of frames
Identification of types of bees
Stages of brood development
Working through the frames
Recognition of “signs” of a queen-right colony
Recognizing other colony irregularities
Assessing varroa levels
Alcohol wash
Sugar roll
Handling and introducing a queen (practicing with drones!)
Feeding options and demonstration
Winter wrap types and demonstration