Beekeeping Level1 & Intermediate Course

Service Description

This course leads to your certification as a Beginner Beekeeper by the BCHPA (British Columbia Honey Producers Association). Taught by Deborah Acheson, a Master Beekeeper and a certified instructor for the BCHPA and Clea Adair, Owner and Operator of Smith Lake Farm. - 3 prerecorded zooms you can watch at your leisure and 3 scheduled zoom questions and answer zoom sessions monthly starting in January. - 1 live zoom session Date TBD - 2 day intensive class May 23rd -25th 2025 at the farm- - International Honey Tasting will happen on Saturday late afternoon - Fall/winter prep refresher late September (optional but useful!) - No food provided - please bring snacks and water bottle Smith Lake Farm Beekeeper Graduates also get to be first in line for our 4 frame nucleus hives and 6 frame overwintered min hives! Optional glamping stay- glamping groups get discounts on additional seats in the course MORE DETAILS: Course Outline When you register, you will receive a private telephone call with Deborah Acheson to discuss your beekeeping goals and answer any preliminary question. Zoom recording to outline basic hive equipment and why you need it. Virtual tour of the inside of our apiary and equipment. We will also address basic bee biology. Zoom recording to outline Honey Bee Pests and Diseases. Zoom recording to discuss how to hive your bees when they arrive and to discuss early feeding techniques, and how to super for honey. Zoom recording to prepare to over winter your bee: a focus on healthy hives. Zoom meeting to answer and questions or concerns you may have about how your hive is doing. Two days of training in the apiary at Smith Lake Farm, 1481 Larkin Road. Some of the attendees will be glampers and some will be valley residents. Glampers will be provided with bee suits if they are unable to bring their own gear. Valley residents are expected to have their own gear. Techniques for hive inspections, use of smokers, note taking, disease inspection, queen problem inspections, how to find a queen, how to mark a queen, hive division etc. will all be explored. *Content will be weather dependent. Honey Tasting from Around the World: This event will be open to all farm guests as well. Course Textbooks Beekeeping for Dummies by Howland Blackiston. Please order off Amazon and use for your course. We have annotated the 5th Addition Honey Bee Diseases and Pests by the Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists. Will be handed out.