New Beekeepers' Class

Registration for 2024 session is currently closed.

Please check back at end of the year for 2025 class announcements.  

This eight-session class is intended to give you an introduction to hobbyist beekeeping and help you through the first year of this challenging journey.  This class is only the first step in your ongoing research and education as a beekeeper.

The course is held monthly from February through September to prepare the new beekeeper for hive set up and management of the hives through the spring and summer honey flow and late summer and fall including preparation for winter.  Classes are in-person with time spent in the apiary (weather permitting) prior to the classroom presentation.

We teach fundamentals to give a good foundation during this first year.  There is much to learn as a beginning or newer beekeeper - bee terminology, obtaining equipment, setting up beehives, and obtaining bees. You will understand the responsibility of caring for thousands of honey bees (summer peak period, the colony can grow to 60,000 bees).  Beekeepers must monitor their bees’ wellbeing. They make sure bees have the things the colony needs to thrive (including food, water, shelter, and a viable bee community), and that the colony isn't suffering from things that cause honey bees harm or death -- (including parasites and diseases).  We give you information and resources to help you make management decisions.

This series of classes is for hobbyist beekeepers who are:

- curious about bees and beekeeping and what it takes to have a hive(s) of your own;

- planning to purchase equipment and bees to set up their own apiary; 

- already have hives and interested in taking a class or a refresher