Thursdays, March 14 – April 18, 2019 (snow date- April 25)
Learn all the basics, from hive construction to honey bee behavior and honey production, with our expert instructor.
Resource (included in course fee): Storey’s Guide To Keeping Honey Bees, 2nd Edition, by Malcolm T. Stanford & Richard E. Bonney
The course is limited to 25 participants.
Questions about the course may be addressed to Andrew Dewey at email andrew@beeberrywoods.com or call 207.266.7294
Tentative Schedule
Class 1 – Overview or summary of the entire course
Class 2 – Chapters 1-4, Beginning Beekeeping, Origin and History of Beekeeping, A Bee’s Life & Choosing Hive Location
Apiary Session # 1- Lighting Smokers, Demeanor around the Apiary
Class 3 – Quiz # 1
Chapters 5 & 6, Getting Equipped, Enter the Bees
Class 4 – Chapter 7, Managing Honey Bee Colonies
Apiary Session # 2 Opening & inspecting colonies, identifying open & capped brood, identifying stored honey & pollen, identifying workers & drones, semi serious look for the queen
Class 5 – Quiz # 2
Chapters 8 & 9, Taking the Crop, Pollination also prep for State Apiarist Presentation – Varroa life cycle
Class 6 – Chapter 10, Diseases & Pests of the Honey Bee taught by the State Apiarist
Apiary Session #3, Different Hive types, determining when boxes get added, mite sampling, winter prep