2024 Intermediate Bee School Schedule

2024 Intermediate Class Schedule

All sessions will be in the auditorium.

  • 2/4 – Session 1:  2pm - 4:30pm​
    • Equipment needs / season overview / bee biology
    • Hive Autopsy:  Examining a Dead-Out
    • Mid-Winter Care
    • Signs of a strong hive.  Signs of a hive needing a mid-course correction
    • Hive Setup Options: Langstroth, Top Bar, Warre and Flow Hives
    • Feeders and feeding techniques

  • 3/10 – Session 2:  2pm - 4:30pm​
    • Suggested goals for the second year and beyond
    • Varroa Mites
      • Biology of the Varroa Mite
      • Improving your Varroa strategy:  Beekeeping with greater purpose
      • Varroa Management Tools & Techniques
    • Honey Tasting

  • 3/16 – Build Day in the Head House/Greenhouse (note that this is a Saturday) 10:00am-4:00pm

  • 4/7 – Session 3:  2pm - 4:30pm​
    • Package Bees and Nucs
    • Installing your bees:  review/variations
    • Making your hive their home
    • Early Splits:  Timing, Techniques
    • Queen Rearing Techniques for the backyard beekeeper
    • Wall to wall brood:  Ramping up for the honey flow
    • Free Bees!: 
      • Trapping Swarms
      • Retrieving Swarms
      • Hiving Captured Swarms

  • 5/5 – Session 4:  2pm - 5pm
    • Pests and Pathogens
      • Small hive beetles, wax moths signs and remediation
    • The importance of hive strength
    • Reading the frames
    • Comb production
    • The significance of pheromones in the hive
    • 3:30pm - 5:00pm, hands on in the bee yard

  • 6/9 – Session 5:  2pm - 5pm at the Head House/Greenhouse​
    • Honey Plants, Trees and Crops
    • Supering Techniques:  What, why and when
    • Generating an income through beekeeping
    • 3:30pm - 5:00pm, hands on in the bee yard

  • 7/7 – Session 6:  2pm - 5pm​
    • Making Late Season Splits
    • Honey Harvesting:  Timing, Techniques and Tools
    • 3:30pm - 5:00pm, hands on in the bee yard

  • 8/11 – Session 7:  2pm - 5pm​
    • Fall Management / Disease Control / Combining Hives
    • 3:30pm - 5:00pm, hands on in the bee yard

  • 9/15 – Session 8:  2pm - 5pm​​
    • Fall Management / Preparing for Winter
      • Three things to protect your bees against in winter
      • Winterizing prep and techniques
      • Signs of a strong hive ready for winter
    • 3:30pm - 5:00pm, hands on in the bee yard

  • 10/6 – Session 9:  2pm - 4:30pm
    • Winter Management
      • Timing
      • Bees in winter
      • Early feeding
      • Preparing for spring