Education & Workshops
IMPORTANT 2020 BEE SCHOOL CLASSES/WORKSHOPS
COVID-19 VIRUS UPDATE - 23 Apr 2020
In order to comply with the most recent guidelines from the CDC, we will reopen registrations but will hold classes remotely using zoom until Massachusetts stay-at-home orders are modified.
NOTE:
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We run THE BEE SCHOOL at Black Birch Farm Apiaries. All of our classes are "hands on" and are held at specific times of the beekeeping year so students can immediately apply what they have learned
Interested in Keeping Honey Bees?
Are you a beekeeper wanting to increase you hive management skills?
Are you interested in how to maintain a sustainable apiary reducing expensive hive failure and queen costs?
If any of the above are of interest, the Bee School at Black Birch Farms Apiaries offers the necessary hands-in education to become a more successful and sustainable beekeeper. The Bee School offers three main courses on all aspects of beekeeping with specialized courses offered as well. These courses are offered throughout the year at times when they will be most beneficial to novice and expert beekeeper alike.
The Bee School, through its diverse and timely education programs is a resource center for the region's beekeepers, no matter their level of expertise.
WE HOLD THESE COURSES ANNUALLY ~ FOR FUTURE COURSE OFFERINGS PLEASE CHECK OUT OUR EVENTS PAGE OR SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
Our intro class
Bee School Course 1:
Sustainable Beekeeping
All necessary equipment, management, and hive manipulations to install and maintain a bee hive from late spring through mid-summer are explained. Course recommended for beginner and intermediate beekeepers. Students must have bee-veils to participate in the last class.
CLASS DATES:
Feb 5 to Mar 4, 2020, Wednesdays (4 days: Feb 5, 12, 19 & Mar 4)
CLASS MEETING TIMES:
Feb 5, 12 and 19: Class meets at 6:30 to 9:00 pm
Mar 4: Black Birch Farm meeting time will be determined at 1st class.
NEW CLASS LOCATIONS:
Feb 5, 12 and 19: West Newbury Town Annex, 381 Main Street, West Newbury, MA, 01985
Mar 4: Black Birch Farm Apiaries, 105 Georgetown Road, West Newbury, MA, 01985
COST: 4 Day Class - $50
the next step after our intro class
Bee School Course 2;
Starting Your Hive - Installing Packages & NUCs
This mini course shows you how to install packages and NUCS and how to set the hive up for a successful installation. Topics include feeding methods, queen finding, determining the status of newly installed packages and NUCS, and countermeasures to installation problems. This is a hands-on course for opening and inspecting hives. Students must have bee-veils to participate.
CLASS DATE:
Apr 18, 2020, Saturday (1 day)
CLASS MEETING TIME:
Class meets at 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
NEW CLASS LOCATION:
Black Birch Farm Apiaries, 105 Georgetown Road, West Newbury, MA, 01985
COST: 1 Day Class - $25
after our intro class
Bee School Course 3:
The Sustainable Apiary
Course details summer management practices for the hive. Topics include swarming, hive manipulations, identification and interdiction of honey bee predators and diseases. This is a hands-on course as we meet at Black Birch Farm Apiaries for opening and inspecting hives. Students must have bee-veils to participate
CLASS DATES:
May 30 and Jun 6, 2020, Saturday (2 Days)
CLASS MEETING TIMES:
Class meets at 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
NEW CLASS LOCATIONS:
Class meets at Black Birch Farm Apiaries, 105 Georgetown Road, West Newbury, MA, 01985
COST: 2 Day Class - $50
AN OLD WAY TO KEEP YOUR NEW HIVE SUSTAINABLE
Bee School Course 4:
Making splits and NUCS, NUC Management & Catching Swarms
Making splits it an inexpensive method of increasing your hives and/or making NUCS that will provide additional resources to your existing apiary. This course details methods of creating successful splits, starting NUCS from splits and how to successfully manage NUCS including feeding and manipulation so as to provide resources to your existing hives. NUC management is an entirely different process than with a standard 8 or 10 frame hive as they build up rapidly, store resources differently, and have greater swarm tendencies. This course also details how to catch and successfully hive swarms. This is a hands-on course for opening and inspecting hives. Students must have bee-veils to participate
CLASS DATE: Jun 13, 2020, Saturday (1 day)
CLASS MEETING TIME: Class meets at 9:00 am to 2:00 pm
NEW CLASS LOCATIONS: Black Birch Farm Apiaries, 105 Georgetown Road, West Newbury, MA, 01985
COST: 1 Day Class - $25
AN ADDITIONAL METHOD TO KEEP YOUR NEW HIVE SUSTAINABLE
Bee School Course 5:
Queen Rearing Using Non Grafting Techniques:
In this presentation beekeepers are taught how to raise queen honey bees employing non grafting techniques. All aspects of raising vibrant honey bee queens are examined including necessary equipment, timing, drone development, mating NUCS, queen banking, and queen introduction. This is a hands-on course for opening and inspecting hives. Students must have bee-veils to participate
CLASS DATES:
Jun 20 and Jun 21, 2020 (2 Days - Saturday-Sunday)
CLASS MEETING TIMES:
Class meets at 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
NEW CLASS LOCATIONS:
Class meets at Black Birch Farm Apiaries, 105 Georgetown Road, West Newbury, MA, 01985
COST: 2 Day Class - $50
beekeeping is a year round UNDERTAKING.
Bee School Course 6:
The Key to Sustainable Beekeeping - Fall & Winter Hive Management
Course details necessary fall hive inspections and evaluation, feeding, re-queening, and preparing the hive for winter and winter feeding. Also included; how to extract and process honey and bees wax. This is a hands-on course for opening and inspecting hives. Students must have bee-veils to participate
CLASS DATES:
Aug 22 & 29, 2020 Saturdays (2 Days)
CLASS MEETING TIMES:
Class meets at 9:00 am to 12:00 pm
NEW CLASS LOCATIONS:
Class meets at Black Birch Farm Apiaries, 105 Georgetown Road, West Newbury, MA, 01985
COST: 2 Day Class - $50