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PROGRAMS 

EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

Our goal is to educate people in the best management and styles of sustainable beekeeping. Programs, classes, workshops, and symposiums, are bee-centric with a bee first philosophy. We believe healthy bees will provide enjoyment and surplus when managed correctly.
Our programs are open to the general beekeeping community and are designed to build upon foundational training. 


CLASS LIST 2022

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Classes are open to beekeepers of all levels, including those looking to start or brush up on their skills. Advanced beekeepers are welcome too -- we assure you that you will learn something new. Classes can be taken individually for $125/class or as a 5-part package for $525 ($100 savings). 

 

PART ONE: The Early Spring Intensive 

April 23,1-5 pm.   Rain Date April 24, 1-5 pm

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What it is: The bees have made it through the winter and now have their sights set on gathering nectar and raising more bees. They do this to take advantage of the tree flow, which is their biggest crop.

This intensive will show you how we manage our bees to reduce swarming and have their population peak at the right time for maximum nectar harvesting. 

Learn the techniques we use for balancing, adding equipment, treating for any signs of unfavorable conditions, and assessing the queens for possible breeding.

You will learn more efficient techniques of tending your colonies, giving you more confidence, and keeping your bees healthier.

Everything we do and teach is Bee Centric, Bees first.

 

PART TWO: Honey Management 

May 14th,10am - 3pm Rain date May 15th

 

What it is: Managing for the Honey flow, swarm prevention, and strategies for the season.

Keeping the bees in the box and how to set up for the beginning of the honey flow. Strategy is everything. Swarm biology, reading the hive, do’s and don'ts, checkerboarding, and timing.

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PART THREE: Honey Intensive

June 18th, 10 am-3 pm 

 

Part Three will focus on the assessment of colonies, removing honey, re-queening and hive inspection with an emphasis on disease and maladies at this point of the season. Early detection is key! 

Generally, by July 10th, our main flow is over and the rest of the season is grasses, weeds, and ornamentals. At this point, our hives are generally at their healthiest and it is a good point to begin making splits and evaluating our queen's performance post swarms. 

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PART FOUR (morning session): Honey Removal, Mid Season Health, Mites, Critical Inspections

July 16th, 9am-1pm

 

During Part Four: Morning Session we will be focusing on removing honey (several methods will be shown), inspecting the brood nest and their available stores of food, mite washing with treatment plan, checking for foulbrood and Nosema, and re-queening/ queen marking. 

 

PART FOUR (evening session): Honey Harvesting, Processing and Bottling 

July 16th, 6pm - 9pm

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During Part Four: Evening Session we will be focusing on honey harvesting, processing and bottling. We will offer several evening sessions throughout the following weeks where we will help you process and bottle your own honey. 

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Optional Honey Harvesting Dates: 

July 23rd, 6-9 pm OR July 30th, 6-9

 

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PART FIVE: Winter Preparation

August 20th, 10am - 3pm

 

Part Five will consist of: how to feed, when to feed, why we feed, and what we feed. 

 We will also review colonies, mite wash, evaluate weight, and set up a feeding program for the apiary. We will cover how to make syrups, using Nosema treatments, pollen feeders, and patties as well as how to prevent robbing and how to wrap and insulate your colonies for winter. 

15 Month-long Sustainable Beekeeper Training with Certification

 

Starting April 2022: This is a 15-month long program that will meet every two weeks during the bee season and once a month in the off season.  

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What is the class? 

This a rare opportunity to study with a master beekeeper, who runs a successful bee operation here in the Hudson Valley. The techniques and management you will learn is tailored specifically for our localized challenging environment.

We teach apiculture, which is beekeeping with a wider aperture, and focuses on the bees as the center of our activities during the season.

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Here's what you'll learn: 

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Science 

  • How to manage the sustainable apiary

  • Biology of the bee and the world around it

  • Bee Math: understanding population flows, timings, and planning

 

Construction 

  • How to make splits and nucs

  • A full review of all of our available hive designs and the pros and cons of each. Horizontal, Warre, Langstroth, custom hives, 

  • The next gen hives with sensors, bells and whistles

  • Equipment building and maintenance

  • Setting up a bee yard including bear fencing, stands, locating

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Bee Products 

  • Honey Production from hive to bottle

  • Learn chanderling (candle making)

  • Make beneficial hive products for health and skin care

  • Learn how to grade honey
     

Hive Health  ​

  • Proprietary system for beekeeping success in a marginal area

  • How to speak Bee, you will learn the signals and signs that the hive communicates to its handler

  • You will make your own queens and nucleus colonies for your hives

  • How we choose our breeder queens, drone flooding, what to expect from open mating on a small scale

  • How to inspect a hive for overall health 

  • Pest and Disease Management: we will review all medications and remedies for the most common diseases in the Hudson Valley, as well as how to test for them

  • Homeopathic & sustainable "potion" making for curing and reducing stress and disease

  • How to feed your bees with what, and when

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This course will propel you about 5 years ahead of where you are now. It is designed for all beekeepers from beginners to semi-veterans. It will cure bad habits, high mortality rates, lower disease and stress loads in hive, and you will have an intelligent and confident relation with your healthy colonies.

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We will have some renowned guests join us during the 15 months to share their wisdom and expertise. These are top shelf world famous experts on the subject matter. You will also develop a future community with the other participants and expert beekeepers who will become part of your bee family. 

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Materials, you will receive the following included in the overall cost: 

  • 2 text books

  • 2 hives to take home (your choice of styles)

  • Amazing queens from our stock

  • Custom made hive tools

  • Access to our cyber bee channel 

  • Access to the team if you have any problems with your hives once they are in your care.
     

Course Format: 
There will be approximately 50-60 hours in the apiary with hands on training and another 20 hours of classroom instruction. Upon completion of this course and the Sustainable Certification Test you will recieve your level one mastery.

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If you take care of your bees, they will take care of you. We hope to seee you there! 

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Cost: $2200 (including $950 of bees and equipment) 

 

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