2023 Class Schedule

All sessions will be in the auditorium, except where noted.

• 2/5 – Session 1:  2pm - 4:30pm​
  • Equipment needs / season overview / bee biology
  • Hive Autopsy:  Examining a Dead-Out
  • Mid-Winter Care
  • Signs of a strong hive.  Signs of a hive needing a mid-course correction
  • Hive Setup Options: Langstroth, Top Bar, Warre and Flow Hives
  • Feeders and feeding techniques

• 3/5 – Session 2:  2pm - 4:30pm​
  • Suggested goals for the second year and beyond
  • Varroa Mites
    • Biology of the Varroa Mite
    • Improving your Varroa strategy:  Beekeeping with greater purpose
    • Varroa Management Tools & Techniques
  • Honey Tasting

• 3/11 – Build Day in the Head House/Greenhouse (note that this is a Saturday)

• 4/16 – Session 3:  2pm - 4:30pm​
  • Package Bees and Nucs
  • Installing your bees:  review/variations
  • Making your hive their home
  • Early Splits:  Timing, Techniques
  • Queen Rearing Techniques for the backyard beekeeper
  • Wall to wall brood:  Ramping up for the honey flow
  • Free Bees!: 
    • Trapping Swarms
    • Retrieving Swarms
    • Hiving Captured Swarms

• 5/7 – Session 4:  2pm - 5pm
  • Pests and Pathogens
    • Small hive beetles, wax moths signs and remediation
  • The importance of hive strength
  • Reading the frames
  • Comb production
  • The significance of pheromones in the hive
  • 3:30pm - 5:00pm, hands on in the bee yard

• 6/11 – Session 5:  2pm - 5pm at the Head House/Greenhouse​
  • Honey Plants, Trees and Crops
  • Supering Techniques:  What, why and when
  • Generating an income through beekeeping
  • 3:30pm - 5:00pm, hands on in the bee yard

• 7/16 – Session 6:  2pm - 5pm​
  • Making Late Season Splits
  • Honey Harvesting:  Timing, Techniques and Tools
  • 3:30pm - 5:00pm, hands on in the bee yard

• 8/13 – Session 7:  2pm - 5pm​
  • Fall Management / Disease Control / Combining Hives
  • 3:30pm - 5:00pm, hands on in the bee yard

• 9/17 – Session 8:  2pm - 5pm​​
  • Fall Management / Preparing for Winter
    • Three things to protect your bees against in winter
    • Winterizing prep and techniques
    • Signs of a strong hive ready for winter
  • 3:30pm - 5:00pm, hands on in the bee yard

• 10/8 – Session 9:  2pm - 4:30pm
  • Winter Management
    • Timing
    • Bees in winter
    • Early feeding
    • Preparing for spring