In Depth Beekeeping

The class will dive deep into the knowledge required for keeping a happy, healthy and productive beehive. After discussing the different beekeeping methods, you will learn what will suit you. Next you will learn where to put your hive, how to get bees and how to get them into your hives. Beehive stewardship centres around inspections, knowing what to look for and how-to problem solve what you find. You will learn about reading a hive, pests and diseases, resource and swarm management will enable you to begin your beekeeping journey. Honey is a wonderful sweet reward for your work and you will learn about honey extraction, storage, and how to best present it.

In the second half of the day we will suit up and open a beehive. You will learn how to use smoke and other methods to calm the bees. We will do a full hive inspection, looking for signs of pests, brood, swarm cells and honey stores. If we’re lucky we may even see a queen. You will have a hands-on experience, up close and inside a hive.

This class includes a morning tea and lunch and some take home notes. It will also include a tasting of honey including local and international flavours, and hopefully some direct from the hive. This class is for the person seriously considering getting a beehive or wanting to learn more about beekeeping. This class does benefit from participation in the 3 hour “A Taste of Beekeeping”, although it can be taken without this.