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