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The survival of honeybees… Why are they vanishing? In what way do current practices not support a symbiotic or respectful relationship with honeybees and other pollinators? How can we work with the bees and safeguard them?
Come join us for a hands-on series of classes and labs to experience the culture of the honeybee, foster our connections to the land, environment and each other while gaining confidence in keeping your own bees. Class materials and methods will focus on the Top Bar Hive, and a natural means of raising bees. Top Bar hives, originally designed for developing nations, have turned out to be ideal for hobbyist beekeepers any where in the world. Many of the disease troubles traditional hive systems are facing can be avoided and managed more easily with the Top Bar Hive technology.
Julie Finley, Garden Director for the past seven years with Growing Gardens, has been raising her own bees for ten years and was one of the featured beekeepers in Sister Bee, a local, independent documentary. Your participation in this class supports the Cultiva Youth Project, of Growing Gardens. Questions?
Class Structure:
- 8 classes, One Saturday per month March - October.
- 4 hour sessions: 2 hour discussion, 2 hour practical lab.
- These classes will be held at the Growing Gardens Greenhouse, 1630 Hawthorn Boulder, Co.
- Note: The July- August sessions are 3 hour practical labs. These labs are “off-site” in Longmont or Hygiene and require your own transportation.
- Informational packets will be provided at each session.
- Special November class available for additional $60. See below for details.
- Additional labs can be scheduled when the beekeeper is tending the off-site, Cultiva hives $20/ hr.
- Experienced beekeepers are welcome to drop-in any class for fee of $50.00.
Cost:
- $360 per person this includes a $10 instructional materials fee. Limited scholarships available.
- $50 per 4 hour class with lab for experienced beekeepers, on drop-in basis available with reservation.
Class Schedule and Content Brief
Class 1 – Introduction: Date March 22, 2008 Time 9:00 am to 12:00
Meet the instructor, share expectations and goals for the course. We will explain the top bar method and the basics of beekeeping.
There will be a demonstration hive available for inspection and plans for building your own Top Bar Hive and information for purchasing supplies and bees.
Class II – Meeting the Bees: Date April 5, 2008 Time 9:00 am to 1:00
We will meet the caste of bees that live in a colony and cover the ecology of honey bees. In the lab we will learn about hive preparation, how to install packaged bees or swarms, and what to look for in your new colony.
Class III - Colony Care I: May 3, 2008 Time 9:00 am to 1:00
You will learn how to handle combs, trouble-shoot problems, manage build-up, and maintain the overall health of the hive. The lab will apply the knowledge gained from the class through hands-on beekeeping.
Class IV - Colony Care II: June 7, 2008 Time 9:00 am to 1:00
We will review how to maintain healthy colonies and discuss sustainable agriculture practices and methodologies. In the lab we will review proper handling of the combs, assessing queen vitality and brood development and we will learn how to observe honey flow and colony strength through the seasons.
Class V – Practical Lab I: July 12, 2008 Time 9:00 am to 1:00
In this three hour lab you will have the opportunity to gain confidence and familiarity with honeybees and learn how to work a top-bar hive successfully. You will gain knowledge in how to manage hives for optimum honey production and colony health. We will begin the harvest of Cultiva honeycomb for Farmer’s Market sales. *offsite*
Class VI – Practical Lab II: August 2, 2008 Time 9:00 am to 1:00
This class will give you a chance to improve your skills and gain more experience handling combs and bees. We will continue to harvest honey. We will discuss and practice sustainable techniques for monitoring and preventing diseases and parasites. *offsite*
Class VII – Fall Preparations: September 6, 2008 Time 9:00 am to 1:00
In this class we will review the use and application of Formic acid, Oxalic acid, herbal bee calm and other preparations for maintaining a healthy hive. We will also learn alternative honey processing techniques.
Class VIII – Winter Care: October 4, 2008 Time 9:00 am to 1:00
This class will focus on the steps needed to prepare the hives for winter. The lab will demonstrate a variety of winterization techniques unique to top bar hive management.
Class IX – Honeybees give us more than honey: November 1, 2008 Time 9:00 am to 1:00
Here we will learn how to process wax and how to make mold candles, ornaments, salves and lip balms. This 4 hour practical lab will be devoted to making samples of these various products and enjoying the fruits of your labor. *Optional*
Growing Gardens has some veils and tools, but participants are encouraged to bring their own.
Thank you, for your interest in honeybees, Growing Gardens, and our relationship to community,
Julie Finley
Download registration form