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Hello All -
I've just finished teaching Maine's first 6 week Intermediate level bee school -
It was a blast, I had a fantastic time and with 56 students I'm hoping we all learned something.
In thinking about running this class again, I am wondering if there are other groups out there teaching Intermediate level material.
Official suggestion for the targeted students was that they have bees for at least two years and focus is on those with 2-12 colonies.
Our Texts were Dr Caron's Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping and Richard Bonney's Hive management.
Our Syllabus was as follows:
Week 1 -
Realities of Beekeeping - where do your bees come from?
Alternative Management Styles / Alternative Equipment
The Bees Year (and their beekeeper's year)
Week 2 -
Swarming - Reproductive Swarming, Overcrowded Swarming, how do we manage these urges?
Spring Management of Overwintered Colonies
Making Nucs and Splits
Understanding the Queen
Week 3 -
(Tony Jadczak, State Apiarist)
Becoming a better beekeeper
Problem Solving with your bees
Neighbor relations
Week 4
Summer Management, Fall Management, Getting ready for winter
Diseases and Pests, Identification, Medications
Diagnosing and understanding when something is wrong with the colony
Week 5
Products of the hive, working towards break even
Extracting honey, storing honey
Protecting your supers
Record keeping
Regulations for honey processing, bottling, labeling and selling honey
other products of the hive
Week 6
All Medium Box hives
Top Bar Hives
Observation Hives - traveling and permanent
Hive Post Mortems - what killed my bees?
Do you teach or have you attended an intermediate level bee school?
What worked in your case - I'd love suggestions.
I believe we will be running this class again,Cooperative Extension seemed very happy with the turnout and the class itself. We may even add a second tier, Intermediate 2 class covering additional topics.
I'd appreciate any input / experiences.
Best,
-Erin
I've just finished teaching Maine's first 6 week Intermediate level bee school -
It was a blast, I had a fantastic time and with 56 students I'm hoping we all learned something.
In thinking about running this class again, I am wondering if there are other groups out there teaching Intermediate level material.
Official suggestion for the targeted students was that they have bees for at least two years and focus is on those with 2-12 colonies.
Our Texts were Dr Caron's Honey Bee Biology and Beekeeping and Richard Bonney's Hive management.
Our Syllabus was as follows:
Week 1 -
Realities of Beekeeping - where do your bees come from?
Alternative Management Styles / Alternative Equipment
The Bees Year (and their beekeeper's year)
Week 2 -
Swarming - Reproductive Swarming, Overcrowded Swarming, how do we manage these urges?
Spring Management of Overwintered Colonies
Making Nucs and Splits
Understanding the Queen
Week 3 -
(Tony Jadczak, State Apiarist)
Becoming a better beekeeper
Problem Solving with your bees
Neighbor relations
Week 4
Summer Management, Fall Management, Getting ready for winter
Diseases and Pests, Identification, Medications
Diagnosing and understanding when something is wrong with the colony
Week 5
Products of the hive, working towards break even
Extracting honey, storing honey
Protecting your supers
Record keeping
Regulations for honey processing, bottling, labeling and selling honey
other products of the hive
Week 6
All Medium Box hives
Top Bar Hives
Observation Hives - traveling and permanent
Hive Post Mortems - what killed my bees?
Do you teach or have you attended an intermediate level bee school?
What worked in your case - I'd love suggestions.
I believe we will be running this class again,Cooperative Extension seemed very happy with the turnout and the class itself. We may even add a second tier, Intermediate 2 class covering additional topics.
I'd appreciate any input / experiences.
Best,
-Erin