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Beginning Beekeeping Class for Hobbyists or Backyard Beekeepers

Beekeeping Classes for Beginner to Intermediate

Our How to Become a Beekeeper Class is Scheduled for the 2022 / 2023 Season. Get Signed Up Today!

Come and Learn how to Keep Bees with Us! On the 3rd Saturday of each month, we will start with the basics of beekeeping and progress through the natural beekeeping cycle.

A comprehensive hands-on introduction to basic beekeeping course held at Heritage Bee Farm which is just a short drive (30 min.) from Sarasota the third Saturday of each month from 10:00 until 12:30. The course is open to all people interested in becoming beekeepers with an emphasis on the “backyard or hobbist beekeeper.” Children under 15 must be accompanied by an adult participant.

Over the course of 12 classes, students will learn how to:

Identify activities going on inside the hive
Establish a new colony of bees
Divide colonies to increase hives
Use integrated pest management techniques to keep bees healthy
Control swarms
Extract honey
Manage queens

Course mentors are our very own, very experienced beekeepers currently managing over 1,500 colonies in three counties.

Course Cost and Registration: Class size may be limited so please make your interest known to us early. YOU MUST REGISTER TO ENSURE YOUR SPOT!
$180 for twelve classes and you will be well on your way to successful beekeeping. Prepayment to the Heritage Bee Farm is required. Registration and payment must be made via our website by adding the Intro to Beekeeping to your cart and making payment.

Additional Costs:

The First Day of Class: Students should have a Veil, Hive Tool, and Smoker at the first class. These are available here at Heritage Bee Farm and can be purchased the day class begins, They can also be purchased ahead of time online through various online shops or bee supply companies.

Hive Kits and Bees will be ordered as per our schedule below and are additional costs depending on how many colonies you want to have.

Beekeeping Class at Heritage Bee Farm 2022/2023 Year
DATE	LECTURE PORTION OF CLASS	IN HIVE PORTION OF CLASS
Nov 19	Introduction to Bees and Beekeeping	First Look into the Hive
Dec 17	Integrated Pest Management (IPM)	Reading a Frame
Jan 21	Order your Hive Kits / Setting Up Your Apiary	In-Hive Basic Inspection
Feb 18	Hive Building	None
Mar 18	Order your Bees, Swarm Control	Hiving your Bees
Apr 15	Pick Up Nucs	Installing Nucs / Requeening
May 20	Q&A, Swarm Control	Making Splits
Jun 17	Queen Biology	Re-Queening
Jul 15	Varroa Destructor, Varroa Counts	Test Colonies
Aug 19	Apiary Maintenance Day	Clean, Repair, Replace, Paint
Sep 16	Honey Extraction, Bottling, Labeling	Honey Extraction
Oct 21	Winter Preparations, Q&A	Inspections and Q& A

Important Note: Participants must wear suitable beekeeping attire in the apiary. Closed-toe shoes, long and loose pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and a veil or a beekeeping suit. Beekeeping gloves are optional.

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Beginning Beekeeping Class for 2022/2023 Season

$180.00

In Stock

If you are curious or maybe you are already ready to become a beekeeper, this is the class to take! This course is given by members of the Heritage Bee Farm family and through the class, you will find an even greater appreciation for the bees!

Before long you will know all about beekeeping to be successful in your new hobby... or maybe occupation!? Whatever your motivation, the beekeeping class is laid out in a way that is hands-on right from the start. We have designed our approach to follow the typical years' tasks as a beekeeper, preparing you for most of the situations you will encounter with your bee hives. We look forward to you bee'ing a part!