A Two Day Course

An intensive course to get you started, explaining all about the honey bee, helping you choose your hive and equipment, how and where to set up your apiary, the bees management and pests and diseases. Not forgetting when and how to extract that lovely honey.

Course Programme:
Two days, 9.30am - 4.30pm

What To Expect:

1. The Honey Bee
The bee colony, biology and life cycle

2. Equipment and Costs
Hive equipment, frames, wax, tools, personal protection

3. The Apiary
Apiary layout, siting the hives, responsibilities and safety

4. Managing Honey Bee Colonies
Inspections, swarm control, uniting and moving colonies

5. Bee Health and Diseases
Bee diseases, pests & other problems, how to recognize & treat them

6. The Importance of Plants
Requirements of honeybees and other pollinators

7. Honey Harvest and Winter Preparation
Honey extraction & handling, equipment & costs, and preparing for winter

8. Information, Help and Support
Resources, books, magazines, local organisations, obtaining bees

An informal couple of days spent with others interested in beekeeping.  A wealth of information from a highly experienced beekeeper and a chance to see the different equipment available, along with a useful pack of course notes to take away.

Refreshments will be provided, including a buffet lunch and a 'honey-themed' cake.

Parking is available at the entrance to our farm and our training room is just short walk down our track.

Where the bees and weather allow, this course will include an inspection of a hive.

What To Bring:

Just bring yourself, confirmation of your booking, a notebook and any questions you may have, along with a bee suit, wellies and gloves (please contact us in advance if you need to borrow a suit).

If you have any dietary requirements please let us know in advance.

Please arrive at 9.15 for a prompt 9.30am start

Course Tutors