Class Length: 2 day
Class Dates: May 24 and 25 2008
Cost: $195.00    
          
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With minimal time investment (less than 4 hours per month on average), you can not only harvest all of these bee products but also increase the yield of your garden from the additional pollination the bees will perform.

This course will provide you with all of the necessary information as well as the practical "hands-on" experience to start your own apiary (bee colony) in your own backyard - even if your property only measures 50 x 100 feet!

Topics to be covered are:

• What equipment to get, where to get it, and how to use it
• Why keep bees?
• Bees and the history of beekeeping
• How bees make honey
• Parts of a bee hive
• Tools and clothing
• Building and placement of a hive
• Ordering bees
• Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter Management
• Setting up a colony
• How to handle bees without fear of being stung
• The effect of weather
• How to take honey off the hive (harvesting your honey)
• Judging honey quality
• Selling your honey
• Preventing swarms
• Pests and Diseases of the honey bee (and what to do about them)
• How to get maximum honey production
• Moving and combining hives
• Releasing a Queen
• Catching and installing a swarm (Free Bees!)

We will use various demonstrations and hands-on activities as well as video tapes and a text book (purchase optional) to insure that this will be a comprehensive class. Our object is to give you the knowledge and confidence to start and manage your own apiary (bee colony). At the conclusion of the 2 day class, all you will need to do is to place 2 phone calls - one to order your bees and the second to order a hive and accessories (we will provide you with a list).

No prior experience or "Bee" knowledge is necessary.

Text Book  $19.95  (optional but recommended)
  Video Set  $79.95  (optional but recommended)

Background Article  - "Beekeeping - An Overview"