Beekeeping Level I

Description

The Essentials of Getting Started with Bees

When we think of honey bees, we often think of the sweet golden honey that the bees produce. Honey is an all-natural sweetener with many beneficial properties. Bees gather nectar from flowers and take it back to the hive, where they turn it into honey. However, honey is not the only reason that honey bees are important. As honey bees gather nectar and pollen from flowers for food, they are also pollinating the plants. Many of our fruits and vegetables depend on honey bees for pollination, and without bees, they may not produce seeds or set fruit.

In this class, you will learn the basic principles needed to keep bees. Some topics we will discuss include the benefits of honey bees to a homestead, characteristics of a healthy bee colony, time and attention required to keep bees and the necessary equipment. We will begin in the classroom going over the basics, then weather permitting, we will don our protective gear, light our bee smoker and spend time in the apiary getting a feel for working with bees. In the apiary, you will learn what to look for when inspecting a beehive and how to assess its health and productivity. In addition, we will discuss ways to get a beehive started, provide local sources of bees and beekeeping equipment and make recommendations on further beekeeper training.

Protective gear will be provided for beehive inspection. Please wear long sleeves and bring appropriate clothing for cold or inclement weather. No shorts or sandals, please.

This class is from 9 a.m – 5 p.m.

Note: When this class (Beekeeping Level I) is offered on Friday, we usually offer the Beekeeping Level II class on Saturday. This way you can take both classes over the weekend.